


Lost and Found

by detectivecaz



Series: I Did Get One Thing Right [6]
Category: Harry Potter - J. K. Rowling, James Bond (Craig movies), James Bond (Movies), James Bond - All Media Types, SPECTRE (2015)
Genre: Alternate Universe - Canon Divergence, Canon-Typical Violence, Crossover, Drama & Romance, F/M, Mention of torture, Older Woman/Younger Man, Olivia & Minerva | Sisters, Post-Deathly Hallows, Post-Skyfall, Spoilers for SPECTRE
Language: English
Status: In-Progress
Published: 2016-03-30
Updated: 2018-01-02
Packaged: 2018-05-30 00:22:13
Rating: Mature
Warnings: Creator Chose Not To Use Archive Warnings
Chapters: 9
Words: 40,323
Publisher: archiveofourown.org
Story URL: https://archiveofourown.org/works/6400051
Author URL: https://archiveofourown.org/users/detectivecaz/pseuds/detectivecaz
Summary: <blockquote class="userstuff">
              <p>Mallory is left in command after Skyfall, entrusted with both the position of M, and being the sole guardian of the secret of the former M's survival. While Olivia adjusts to her role as a civilian, tucked away safely in a quiet corner of London, she finds her new life interrupted by the past when she receives an urgent message from Mallory informing her that James Bond is missing and has consequently been declared dead. Numb with pain over the loss of her agent, Olivia trudges on the best way she can, until she returns home to find an unexpected visitor. One who may just be able to aid her in the search for the missing James and possibly even bring him home.</p>
            </blockquote>





	1. The Unexpected Visitor

**Author's Note:**

  * For [saye0036](https://archiveofourown.org/users/saye0036/gifts), [LadyDuchess](https://archiveofourown.org/users/LadyDuchess/gifts), [tayryn](https://archiveofourown.org/users/tayryn/gifts), [mysticmelodies](https://archiveofourown.org/users/mysticmelodies/gifts), [angelmira](https://archiveofourown.org/users/angelmira/gifts).



> For this story I have made Olivia and Minerva sisters, as I love the thought of these two women fighting side by side. 
> 
> A massive thank you to mysticmelodies for helping me with the summary of this fic, I really appreciate it. :D 
> 
> Hope you enjoy.

* * *

Olivia said goodnight to Ross and made her way into her apartment complex. She felt as if she were in autopilot when Mallory had called her into headquarters, even though she was legally dead. The surprised and shocked faces of agents and staff would have humoured her if it hadn't been for the situation, that MI6 currently found themselves in.  
  
She was adamant about refusing Mallory's offer to get meddled back in MI6 affairs, but when he had told her it concerned Bond, she knew she couldn't say no. She had never got round to telling him that she was alive after Skyfall. The only comfort she could give him was a pre-recorded video in the event of her death to track down Marco Sciarra and finish what she had started. But it seemed her plan had worked too well and now Bond was missing. Even Q's smart blood couldn't find the agent, which could only mean he was dead. She didn't want to believe it, but there was no other possible explanation for it.  
  
Q and Mallory had shown her all the data Bond had managed to gather on his uncertified mission. When they had told her Quantum was a part of SPECTRE, everything over the years started to fall into place, which made her frustrated that they didn't find the link sooner. She remembered James' file detailing a man called Oberhauser who died in an avalanche with his father, but she could never have guessed that he was the reason for everything that had occurred in Bond's life or the fact that he had sent Silva after her, probably due to a vast range of reasons. The main reason being revenge for leaving him in the hands of the Chinese, and then there was also the fact that she was probably too close to finding out the truth. So, they had sent Silva to silence her. All reasons were plausible, but she couldn't think of a reason as to what happened to James. Unless White's daughter had a hand in it, but she prayed that wasn't the case. They didn't need another Vesper incident on their hands.  
  
Bond had been missing for three weeks before Mallory had decided to tell her. She thought he had wanted her help in finding him, but she should have known better. It seemed Mallory had already written him off. She understood that the man's hands were tied and he would be out of a job in the next few days, but he could at least try and find him to bring him home. Bond, at least, deserved that, after everything he had given to the service over the years. She had never been so angry with Mallory, not even when he suggested retirement planning to her after she lost the hard drive. It seemed such a lifetime ago when in reality it had only been over a year.  
  
When the elevator doors opened, she walked down the corridor to her apartment only to stop in her tracks when she noticed her front door was slightly ajar. Taking a few tentative steps forward, she reached into her bag, pulled out the Derringer and took off the safety. Creeping closer to the door, she cautiously opened it, and stepped inside, holding the gun in front of her. As she walked down the slightly lightened corridor, she heard rustling coming from within her living room.  
  
Pushing the door open, she finally saw who the perpetrator was and felt a surge of annoyance flow through her.  
  
"What the bloody hells are you doing?" Olivia hissed.  
  
The person stopped what they were doing and turned to look at Olivia caught between disbelief that she was alive, and anger that she had been kept in the dark.  
  
"What the hell am I doing?! You're the one that's supposed to be dead! Were you ever going to tell me?!"  
  
Olivia lowered her gun and tried not to flinch at the accusation. She was so caught up in thinking about Bond's whereabouts; she had completely forgotten to inform Minerva she was alive. She had intended to tell her at some point, she just never got round to it.  
  
She put the safety back on the gun and sat it on the table, before taking a seat on the couch as she looked up at the other woman, who now had her arms folded across her chest as she waited for an explanation. It was the first time she had seen Minerva in years without her emerald green dress robes and hat. Now, she was dressed in black trousers and a red blouse. Her hair was no longer in her famous tight bun, but rather sitting on her shoulders. To Olivia, it looked shorter, which made her wonder why she had changed it. She could feel Minerva's blue eyes staring at her as she waited for her answer.  
  
"What do you want me to say, Min?!"  
  
"I want you to tell me the truth! I'm your sister in all but blood, and you didn't even have the courtesy to tell me you were alive!"  
  
"I was going to tell you…"  
  
Minerva gave a scoff, "When were you going to tell me?! I had to find out from Bond that you were dead! Was he in on your plan?"  
  
"Min, calm down."  
  
"Don't you dare tell me to calm down, Olivia Barbara Mansfield! The both of us mourned you for months! I even had to check on that poor man to make sure he ate and slept! He blamed himself for your death! So don't you dare sit there and tell me to calm down!"  
  
Olivia didn't know what to say, other than she should have told them both what she and Mallory had planned. It wasn't one of her greatest moments. She realised that now.  
  
"I wouldn't be surprised if Bond was in on it with you! Did the both of you enjoy taking me for an idiot?! Speaking of Bond, where the hell is he! I need to have a few chosen words with him as well! If he knew you were alive after all these months, he should have told me, if you didn't have the nerve to do it yourself! Now, I know why the hat never placed you in Gryffindor all those years ago; you are too much of a coward." Minerva looked down at her in disappointment.  
  
Olivia tried not to flinch at her words, "If you've quite finished Minerva, then perhaps you should take what you came here for and just go."  
  
Minerva heard the defeated tone in her voice and the flash of hurt in her eyes, as she looked away from her and stared down at the floor. She had expected her to argue back at least, but not give up without a fight. This was not the same Olivia she knew; something had happened and whatever it was she would find out, even if it took all night to do so.  
  
"What's happened, Liv?" Minerva asked softly uncrossing her arms and taking a seat next to her.  
  
"I'm not in the mood to speak about it, Min."  
  
"I'm not leaving until you tell me."  
  
"Then you are going to be here for a while," Olivia told her, holding her head in her hands, wishing Minerva would just leave her alone.  
  
"It's about Bond isn't it? He's the reason you are acting like this."  
  
When Olivia didn't answer her, she knew she had hit the nail on the head.  
  
"Olivia, answer me. Is it Bond?"  
  
Olivia knew she would need to tell Minerva at some point, so she may as well get it over with now rather than later.  
  
"At nine o'clock this morning, I received a call from Mallory, informing me that he needed to see me about an urgent matter. He wouldn't discuss it over the phone, only that it regarded James." She whispered, trying to keep her emotions under control.  
  
Minerva's face paled, wondering just how bad the situation was that Mallory couldn't tell Olivia over the phone. Ever since she met the man, she knew without a doubt that he had feelings for Liv; you had to be blind not to see it. She would never forget his face when he stood on her tail in cat form causing her to transfigure back to her human self. It was a cross been shock and denial at what he had just witnessed. It amused her to no end. The rest of the night was spent with herself and Olivia telling him about the wizarding world which led to an endless onslaught of questions that she left for, Olivia to answer.  
  
Over the years, she had taken a shine to him much as Olivia had done, except her relationship with James was that of a mother and son. They had helped each other through their grief of losing Olivia; she couldn't imagine him not being here. Minerva could only imagine what Olivia was feeling when she heard whatever news Mallory had to tell her.  
  
"The reason James couldn't tell you I was alive is because one he didn't know and two he's missing." Olivia bluntly informed Minerva, finally turning to look at her.  
  
"Missing? What do you mean missing? A man just doesn't disappear off the radar!"  
  
Olivia gave a humourless chuckle, "This is James we're talking about, Min. It isn't the first time he has disappeared."  
  
"But you think he hasn't gone off on his own accord this time?"  
  
"Exactly. I left him a message in the event of my death to take care of a man known as Marco Sciarra, who until recently I found out was a member of SPECTRE."  
  
"SPECTRE, catchy name. Just who are these people exactly?"  
  
"Do you remember the fiasco I told you we had with Quantum a few years back?"  
  
Minerva's eyes narrowed, "How could I forget, considering one of their members was also your personal bodyguard who almost killed you. But what have they got to do with this SPECTRE?"  
  
Olivia was going to need a stiff drink after this.  
  
"From what Q told me, it seems that James managed to acquire a ring from Sciarra before his death as well as information on someone known as 'The Pale King'. I told James that after he had taken care of Sciarra to go to his funeral. If he were an important member of their organisation, then he would find clues to lead him to the next piece of the puzzle. It seemed my hunch was right and it turned out that 'The Pale King' was none other than our, Mr White."  
  
Minerva rubbed her forehead trying to process this, "So, what you are essentially telling me is that Quantum is a part of SPECTRE?"  
  
"That's precisely what I'm saying, Min. They took us for fools from the start. James found White's daughter, at the Alpine Facility in Austria, she was working as a psychologist there I believe, but that isn't the best part of it."  
  
"What do you mean?" Minerva asked warily not liking where this was going.  
  
"Has James ever told you about his childhood, Min?"  
  
"He did. It was only a week after your death before he started to tell me bits and pieces."  
  
"Then you'll know that after James' parents were killed that Hannes Oberhauser became close to him, along with his son Franz."  
  
"I vaguely remember James telling me about them. James thought of him as a second father and Franz as an older brother. The both of them are dead. I don't see what this has got to do with SPECTRE, Liv." Minerva stated, wondering what Olivia was thinking in that head of hers.  
  
"It turns out that Franz Oberhauser faked his death."  
  
"What? Why? Minerva had asked before her eyes widened in realisation. "He killed his father?"  
  
Olivia gave a nod of her head, "It would appear so, and that's not the top of it."  
  
"What more could there be?"  
  
"Remember I mentioned the ring?" Olivia questioned as she saw Minerva nod. "Q did a toxicology scan from it and the findings were disturbing, but it all started to make sense."  
  
"What started to make sense?" Minerva asked confused.  
  
"The results from the scanned ring brought back DNA matches for seven known associates; Dominic Greene, Le Chiffre, Patrice, Tiago Rodriquez, Marco Sciarra, Mr White and at the top of the pyramid, Franz Oberhauser. All of them linked to one larger organisation known as SPECTRE."  
  
"Tiago was a part of it?" Minerva asked needing to make sure she had heard her right.  
  
"He was and as I told Mallory earlier, there was a chance that Oberhauser sent Silva after me, once they realised I was tracking them. And let's not forget that I was the one that betrayed Silva to the Chinese, he was a time bomb waiting to happen."  
  
Minerva shot her an angry look, "You had no other choice. If Silva, wanted to play hacker, he should have thought about the consequences. You were just doing your job; anything else was his fault. Don't you dare sit there and blame yourself for what he's done!"  
  
Olivia knew Minerva was right, but her actions from her past had caught up with her and it had cost many agents their lives in the process. She just couldn't forget, no matter how much she tried. The accusations from the agent's families were the final nail in the coffin, and she didn't blame them for holding her accountable.  
  
"Now, back to Bond. Where did he go according to this Q after he left Austria? Well, I'm assuming he left Austria."  
  
"Q said White's daughter; Madeleine Swann was taking James to L'Americain. While there James found coordinates to a barren piece of land in the Morocco Desert. It was only when Q checked the satellite imagery that there appeared to be a facility inside a crater. Everything seemed to be fine until they lost contact with James less than twenty-four hours later."  
  
Minerva stood up and started to pace the length of Olivia's living room, thinking everything over. James may still be alive; he has been in worse situations than this, but what if this time it was one too many?  
  
"How were they tracking him?" Minerva demanded.  
  
"Q injected him with smart blood. It's new nano-gene technology that contains a tracker that becomes a part of your bloodstream."  
  
Minerva looked at Olivia as if she were crazy, having no idea what half of that technobabble meant.  
  
"So, if it's as you say, how can they have lost him? If his last known location was in Morocco, why hasn't Mallory sent agents to check the facility?" Minerva stated the obvious.  
  
"He has, but the facility was deserted and there was no sign of James, Madeleine or Oberhauser." Olivia frowned realising James' outcome looked bleaker with each minute that passed.  
  
"Olivia, answer me this, do you believe he's dead?"  
  
"Mallory has already written him off, and as of now MI6 won't fund any more time and resources to find him. I don't want to believe it, Min, but how else can you explain why his tracker isn't working?"  
  
Minerva bit her lip trying to think of an answer for her, but she could think of none.  
  
"Did Q or Mallory say anything else to you?"  
  
"Only that the smart blood could be traced on Q's laptop. It was in the net- Christ that's it." Olivia murmured as she quickly stood up, walked over to her desk and accessed her laptop.  
  
Minerva curiously walked over and stood next to her, watching as she typed away on the keyboard.  
  
"Are you going to tell me what it is you think you have found?"  
  
"It may be nothing, but Mallory was filling me in on a new Surveillance Intelligence network known as 'Nine Eyes' that was created by Max Denbigh."  
  
"I'm going to pretend I know what all of that means, but that still doesn't explain why you think this Mr Denbigh or his programme will help us find Bond."  
  
"Q mentioned that he was tracking all of James' movements on his laptop before Mallory ordered him to destroy all the smart blood files. Denbigh's Surveillance network has access to every form of software around the globe." Olivia kept her eyes on the laptop screen as she put in Mallory's codes.  
  
"Do I want to know how you got those?" Minerva tried not to smirk.  
  
"Let's just say that James is starting to rub off on me."  
  
_'He's certainly done more than that,'_ Minerva thought to herself as she watched Olivia bring up the files on 'Nine Eyes.'  
  
"What are you looking for?" Minerva leant over Olivia's shoulder to take a closer look at the screen.  
  
"I'm not sure; it's probably a long shot. But if 'Nine Eyes' has access to computer networks, what's to stop it from hacking into Q's laptop." Olivia stated before cursing as she found nothing that would be helpful.  
  
"Who else has access to 'Nine Eyes' other than Mr Denbigh?" Minerva asked lost in thought.  
  
"Only him, he is the head of the programme." Olivia looked up at Minerva, "why? What are you thinking?"  
  
"Can you do a check on him?"  
  
Olivia looked back towards the screen and did a background check on Denbigh and quickly brought up his file.  
  
To Olivia, everything seemed to be in order, but she knew appearances could be deceiving.  
  
"There's nothing, Min. If he is in control of the network, it will allow him to change his file. Not to mention if he accessed the smart blood files he could have done something to disable James' tracker."  
  
"Olivia, you do realise you are accusing this Denbigh, without any evidence to go on that that proves what your saying is true." Minerva cautioned, knowing if Olivia were wrong it would end in disaster.  
  
"What if I'm right, though, Min and he is behind all of this, maybe even working for Oberhauser. It wouldn't be the first time henchmen from their organisation worked in SIS without our knowledge. I can't take any chances with him."  
  
Minerva looked away from Olivia and back to the screen. "Where can we find him?"  
  
"He works at the Center for National Security. Their headquarters are situated in City Hall." Olivia pointed to the photo on the screen of the oval glass building. "Why? What do you have in mind?" Olivia questioned seeing the thoughtful look on Minerva's face.  
  
"That I think it's time we paid Mr Denbigh visit. You need proof that he might be working for Oberhauser and behind Bond's disappearance, then he will be the one to tell us."  
  
"And how do you propose we do that?" Olivia asked seeing the glint in Minerva's eye knowing she had something planned.  
  
"Olivia, I know you haven't been in the wizarding world for years, but even you can't have forgotten we witches have a way of doing things." Minerva smirked as she saw Olivia catch on.  
  
"Legilimency?"  
  
"I may not be the greatest at it, but Severus and Albus taught me a thing or two through the years before their deaths." She gave Olivia a sad smile as she thought about her two colleagues.  
  
"We had best make a start then." Olivia stood up and walked over to the living room cabinet to retrieve her wand.  
  
"Liv, before we go. You need to be prepared that this may not give us any new information on Bond's whereabouts."  
  
"I know, Min. But we've got to at least try. Even If it takes years, I'll find him and bring him home. James deserves that much."  
  
Reaching for her wand, she felt a warmth flow through her, as soon as her hand had touched the Alder wood. It had been years since she had last touched it. She only wished she had kept it with her when she had the hearing before Silva attacked, and then the mess at Skyfall could have been avoided.  
  
Grabbing the wand holster that was sitting on the shelf next to where her wand was, she took off her coat, attached it to her arm and placed the wand in it.  
  
"What about Mallory?" Minerva asked as she buttoned up her coat. "Do we tell him about your suspicions about Denbigh?"  
  
Olivia put her coat back on and turned to Minerva, "no. As you say, it might be nothing. We'll wait and see before we inform him.  
  
Minerva gave a sigh, "all right. I'm ready when you are."  
  
"There is just one more thing before we go, Min. How did you know where to find me? And what exactly was it you were looking for?"  
  
"Your wand."  
  
"What?" Olivia asked confused.  
  
Minerva smiled and shook her head, "You're memory is going in your old age."  
  
"Less of the old, thank you. Now, you were saying."  
  
"Remember when we were in our third year, and you got into a spot of trouble with Pamela Thompson and her little band of friends?"  
  
"How could I forget, and they say we Slytherin's were bad to the bone when it was four girls from your _own_ house that cornered me, just because I accidentally messed up Thompson's potion during class."  
  
"Yes, and it was only because I was nearby that _you_ were saved from having to spend time in the hospital wing. It was then we decided to cast a tracker spell on our wands, should either one of us get into trouble. And since both, our wand cores are dragon heartstring it only made the connection stronger."  
  
"I vaguely remember, but if you knew I was dead, why did you try to cast reperio?"  
  
Minerva gave a chuckle, "You were never good at hiding Liv. I was in London yesterday and I saw you. Well, at the time it was someone who looked like you. I never expected it to be you. That was why today I came back to London and tried reperio and it led me to here. I thought someone had gotten a hold of your wand and I was about to take it with me when you walked in. You really should keep that wand of yours on you at all times, Liv."  
  
"I'll keep that in mind in the future." Olivia returned Minerva's smile. "It's good to see you again, Min."  
  
"Same, Liv. Now, pleasantries aside, we have a missing agent to find and an appointment with Mr Denbigh. We don't want to keep the man waiting do we?"  
  
Olivia smirked, as she walked over to stand next to Minerva. "Would you like to do the honours?"  
  
Minerva held out her arm for Olivia to hold on to, "It would be my pleasure."  
  
Olivia looked at her apartment one last time before she felt Minerva's arm twist away from her and everything faded to black.


	2. The Meeting

 ~*~

Olivia finally felt she could breathe again as the heat of the low winter sun shone upon her as she tried to blink the black spots in front of her eyes. 

"So this is the Center for National Security, not much to look at is it?" Minerva muttered to herself, as she looked looked up at the glass building that Olivia had shown her a few minutes prior.

As Minerva continued to look around the surrounding area she noticed there was no one in sight. The silence was starting to unnerve her. She at least thought there would be some people walking around outside, but there was only herself and Olivia.

She was brought out of her thoughts, when she felt a tight grip on her arm, and looked towards her sister, finally noticing how pale she looked.  
  
"Are you all right?"  
  
"I'll be fine, just my body getting used to apparition again after all these years." Olivia joked trying to keep her nausea at bay.  
  
"And you have only yourself to blame. How you went without using magic for the past seventeen years is beyond me."  
  
"I had no choice. It was either go without, or reveal our world to everyone in SIS. I would rather not have to deal with the repercussions if word ever got out that magic was real."  
  
"There is that I suppose." Minerva mused as she saw some of the colour return to the smaller woman's cheeks. "Are you okay to stand on your own?"  
  
"I'm fine," Olivia muttered letting go of Minerva's arm.  
  
Minerva gave her a smirk before she looked up at the oval glass building they were currently standing in front of.  
  
"Where is Denbigh's office located, Liv?"  
  
"I'm going to take a guess and say the top floor."  
  
"Great, if I do all this leg work, and he has nothing to hide, I'll hex you into next week, Olivia."  
  
"You walk around Hogwarts day in and out; a few steps won't kill you."  
  
"I take the shortcuts," Minerva admitted, looking towards Olivia, only to see the amusement dancing in her eyes.  
  
"Of course, you do," Olivia told her sweetly.  
  
Minerva ignored the jibe and looked back up at the oval glass building. "Did you ever come across Denbigh during your time as M?"  
  
"I don't think I did. Mind you; I had to deal with a few cun…"  
  
"I get the picture, Liv." Minerva cut her off, knowing just how much she liked to curse those government officials and it wasn't the magic kind.  
  
"So, how do we play this, Min?"  
  
Minerva turned to look at her in disbelief, "you're asking me? You're the one that worked for the government for seventeen years."  
  
"Yes, and you're the professor." Olivia shot back.  
  
"Let's do it this way. You tell me what you think will work, and I'll tell you if I agree."  
  
"All right, we could use the Disillusionment Charm."  
  
Minerva raised an eyebrow at her answer, "So, not going in wands blazing then?"  
  
"I'll think you'll find that is more of James' expertise rather than mine, Min."  
  
"Quite, but…" Minerva didn't get the chance to finish when the sound of voices reached their ears.  
  
Olivia took out her wand and quickly cast the disillusionment charm on Minerva, just as three people came into view. When the man in the middle saw her, he gave a charming smile and muttered something to his colleagues.  
  
Olivia watched as the other man and woman entered the building leaving the two of them, and Minerva alone.  
  
"Well, it seems the stories are true. Olivia Mansfield returns from the dead."  
  
"Mr Denbigh, I presume? Mallory has told me all about you, " she replied staring the younger in the eyes.  
  
"All bad I presume?" Denbigh frowned.  
  
"You could say that."  
  
"Yes, well you are no doubt aware that Mallory and myself have different ideas concerning the welfare of this country."  
  
"Yes and it seems that includes you scrapping the Double-0 programme?"  
  
The sound of her raised voice caused two employees who had just come out of the building to look over in their direction.  
  
"Perhaps we should discuss this more in my office, " he suggested with a smile.  
  
"I think that would probably be best."  
  
Olivia looked over to where she last saw Minerva and gave a subtle nod of her head signalling for her to follow them. Feeling the other woman's touch on her arm, she took some comfort from it knowing Minerva would be right beside her.  
  
"How did you manage to design such a network, Mr Denbigh?" Olivia asked looking around the main foyer once they had entered the building.  
  
"Please, call me Max. I like to think we are equals," he put his hand at the base of her back and led her towards the staircase.  
  
"Equals? The man is a bloody idiot." Minerva scoffed beside her.  
  
"I'm sorry, did you say something, Olivia?"  
  
"No, not at all. Please, continue," she gave him a charming smile while mentally cursing Minerva for speaking so loud.  
  
Denbigh gave her a sceptical look, before continuing, "The programme came into existence when I was consulted by MI5 to design software, which would allow us to monitor countries surveillance around the clock to heighten our nation's security. After the attack on MI6 and during your hearing with the committee, it was agreed that more had to be done to ensure not only this country's safety but others as well."  
  
Olivia heard Minerva mumble under her breath about stupid politicians and had to stop the smile that wanted to break free.  
  
"I see. That doesn't explain why you wanted the Double-0 programme to be shut down."  
  
"You and I both know that the Double-0 programme is out-dated, it has been for some time. Why have agents take months to try and gather information, when Nine Eyes can do it in hours? We have been living in the dark ages for years Olivia and this programme is the future."  
  
Reaching the top of the stairs, he walked over to his office and held the door open for Olivia to enter.  
  
Giving a nod of thanks, she walked into his office and looked around, noticing the modern interior and the vast range of computer monitors through the glass window to her left.  
  
Hearing the door close behind her, she watched as Denbigh walked behind his desk and took a seat.  
  
"Why have you come here, Olivia? I'm sure it's not a social visit."  
  
Olivia gave him a calculating look and took a seat in one of the metal chairs in front of his desk.  
  
"You're right, it's not, but I'll get straight to the point."  
  
"I expected nothing less."  
  
Olivia narrowed her eyes, not trusting the man in the slightest.  
  
"No doubt you are aware of the reports that 007 is missing."  
  
Denbigh took a deep breath, "yes I was notified of his disappearance. Tragic really, he only had a few more weeks to go before he would be retiring from the service."  
  
"Retiring?" Olivia asked confused.  
  
"Yes, didn't Mallory tell you? No, of course, he didn't. Paper pushers only care about themselves, but not you." Denbigh leant forward in his chair. "You fought tooth and nail to ensure your Double-0 agents were treated fairly, always sticking by them when under scrutiny from the Minister. Whereas Mallory, he just stood aside and let the Double-0 programme be shut down. Now, if it were you still in charge, I'm sure that wouldn't have been the case."  
  
"Don't listen to him, Liv, he's up to something," Minerva whispered in her ear.  
  
"Mallory is more than capable of running MI6 and I'm sure if there were a chance that the Double-0 programme could be saved, then he would have fought to make sure that was the case."  
  
"Are you forgetting this is the same man who suggested you take voluntary retirement or the fact that he has written off 007 as if his years of service meant nothing."  
  
"Well, considering he is under scrutiny from this joint merger with MI5, which is one of the most vacuous ideas I have bloody heard of, then, of course, his hands are tied and he had no other choice." Olivia stated feeling her temper rise.  
  
"Whatever mind games you are trying to play here, Denbigh, they end now. I came here for information about Bond. You are good with computers and surveillance perhaps you can give me an explanation as to why a tracker injected with smart blood, suddenly goes offline?"  
  
Denbigh sat back in his chair, his earlier smile gone, "The reports were right, you are sentimental over, Bond aren't you? As for your question, I'm afraid I don't have an answer for you, other than he is probably dead."  
  
"If that were the case then why not leave his dead body in the facility in Morocco for agents to find? I'm sure that would have been easier than for someone to carry a corpse around with them, wouldn't you say?"  
  
"What are you insinuating, Olivia?"  
  
"That since you're so called surveillance network can gain access to every computer network, who's to say you haven't disabled or altered James' tracker information?"  
  
"Olivia, tread carefully," Minerva warned her while keeping her attention on Denbigh.  
  
"I'm sorry you have lost, James, Olivia. But his disappearance has nothing to do with me."  
  
"So you aren't working for SPECTRE or Franz Oberhauser?"  
  
Denbigh gave a humourless laugh, "I'm sorry you have completely lost me. I have never heard of Franz Oberhauser or SPECTRE. Now, I think it's time you left. I have a few last minutes adjustments to make before 'Nine Eyes' goes online at midnight tomorrow."  
  
"I'm not leaving, Mr Denbigh! You expect me to believe that a man such as yourself had the money and skill to develop such a programme? No, I think you had help. Tell me, how much did Franz Oberhauser pay you, so he could use 'Nine Eyes' for his little organisation."  
  
"Franz Oberhauser is dead, Olivia. You are chasing ghosts."  
  
"And how do you know he is dead? You just informed me that you have never even heard of the man, so how do you know he is dead?"  
  
"I overheard Mallory mentioning it." Denbigh quickly told her.  
  
"So, you have been spying on him? Who or what gives you the right?!" Olivia's upper lip curled in disdain. "This is probably one of the reason's that South Africa was opposed to the idea. That was until you forced them to agree to it when you and Oberhauser conspired an attack on Cape Town."  
  
"I do hope you have evidence to back up these accusations of yours, Olivia," Denbigh told her in warning.  
  
Olivia didn't answer knowing herself it was just speculation for the time being.  
  
"I thought not." He told her smugly when he didn't receive an answer. "I can see why the committee thought you were no longer able to run SIS; you let your feelings cloud your judgement."  
  
"No, I trust my instincts, and my instincts are telling me you are in on this, and If I find out you were involved in James disappearance, God won't even be able to help you!"  
  
"Threatening and accusing a valuable member of the government of treason, when you have no evidence to go on. That is a bold move, one that may very well get you killed." Denbigh stated as he stood up and walked over to the glass window, staring out into the distance.  
  
"Are you threatening me?!"  
  
"No, merely stating a fact." He turned around to face her. "You have played this game long enough to know that when you meddle in someone's affairs, you need to live with the consequences. Or has the fiasco with Silva slipped your memory." He cooed. "Now, I think it's time you left before I do something I will later regret."  
  
Olivia stood up in anger, having heard enough.  
  
"This is far from over, Denbigh! What are you going to do? Shoot me? A bullet couldn't kill me the first time, what makes you think the second will?"  
  
"Because I don't miss."  
  
Minerva watched as he reached behind his back, pulled out his gun and aimed it at Olivia's head before pulling the trigger.  
  
Two resounding bangs echoed around the room, followed by the sound of two bodies hitting the ground.  
  
"Neither do I." Minerva hissed down at the unconscious form of Denbigh before she ran over to Olivia.  
  
Taking off the disillusionment charm, she kneeled down next to Olivia, who gave a small moan as she tried to move.  
  
"Are you injured?" Minerva helped her sit up before she looked for any sign that she had been hit.  
  
"I'm all right, Min. Just landed on the floor harder than I anticipated. I'm getting too old for this drama."  
  
"You and me both, Liv." Minerva finally relaxed, when she realised Olivia was uninjured.  
  
"Nice shot, by the way, but that gunshot will have alerted security."  
  
"Doubtful," Minerva stated with a wicked glint in her eye. "I placed a muffliato charm around the room when we entered, in case the situation got out of hand." She stood up and helped Olivia to her feet.  
  
"No need to thank me."  
  
"I wasn't going to, but thank you for saving my life."  
  
"Again," Minerva added with a smile.  
  
"Yes, all right, again. You're never going to let me live that Pamela Thompson incident down are you?"  
  
"No."  
  
"I thought not." Olivia scowled as she looked over at the now unconscious Denbigh. "Do you still want to go ahead with our plan?"  
  
"Of course, ever since the idiot started talking, I've been looking forward to it." Minerva walked over to Denbigh and kneeled down next to him. "Stand guard at the door, Liv. We don't want any interruptions should anyone decided to walk in."  
  
"All right, but try to be quick."  
  
Minerva didn't answer her but instead focused her attention on Denbigh. Removing the gun from his grasp, she slid it along the floor and out of his reach.  
  
"Right, Mr Denbigh. Let's see what you are hiding." Minerva muttered, pointing her wand towards Denbigh. "Rennervate."  
  
A red light flowed towards Denbigh's body before his eyes, shot open and found Minerva's.  
  
"Legilimens."  
  
Once Minerva was in his mind, she looked for the memories that would help them find Bond. She had just reached another memory and was ready to push it away, when she saw a memory of Denbigh, Tiago and an unknown man standing in an open room that was filled with strange equipment.  
  
As she continued to concentrate on the memory, she could hear their faint voices as they spoke about the development of a surveillance network.  
  
_"How is the programme coming along, Tiago?" The unknown man asked the blond._  
  
_"It is finished, but it will need to be officially tested."_  
  
_"I think MI6 will be first on our list; they are too close to finding out the truth. Well, shall I say one person in particular? I'm sure you are well acquainted with one Olivia Mansfield, Tiago."_  
  
_Minerva saw the flash of anger on Tiago's face when the unknown man mentioned Olivia's name._  
  
_"I know mummy well. She won't give up until she knows the truth."_  
  
_"I thought as much, which is why I need you to eliminate her. But before you do. I need you to use your software programme to access her files and track all her movements and calls. I need to know how much she knows. I'm not taking any chances..."_

/*\\*/*\

The memory faded, and Minerva continued looking through Denbigh's mind for any memory that would tell her anything about Bond's whereabouts. She stopped when she found what appeared to be Bond's first time on meeting Denbigh.  
  
_"So sorry, am I interrupting?" Denbigh asked walking in on Bond and Mallory._  
  
_"Not remotely. 007 I'd like you to meet Max Denbigh, head of the Joint Security Service._  
  
_"Well, it's a pleasure to finally meet you 007. I've heard a lot about you. Most of it good."_  
  
_"Congratulations on your new appointment." Bond gave him a smile that didn't reach his eyes._  
  
_"Thank you."_  
  
_"I suppose we should call you "C" now."_  
  
_"No, no. "Max," please." Denbigh insisted._  
  
_"No, I think I'll call you "C." Bond stared the other man down. "C."_  
  
_"As you wish..."_

/*\\*/*\

  
Minerva tried not to smile at Bond's attitude towards Denbigh; she had already gathered that the agent wouldn't take too kindly to his methods. After all, he was essentially putting him out of a job.  
  
She had no idea how long had passed as she trailed through memory after memory before finding the one she had been looking for.  
  
"Finally," she muttered to herself as she accessed the memory.  
  
She noticed Denbigh was sitting behind his desk, and speaking with someone on his computer.  
  
_"We are still missing the vote from South Africa, without it. 'Nine Eyes' won't be operational."_  
  
_"I'll take care of it, but first did you manage to access the information on the smart blood programme?"_  
  
_"I have. As soon as you give the signal I can disable the information from his tracker. To everyone, Bond will be just another missing agent. I wouldn't be surprised if Mallory thinks he has run off with Doctor Swann, and disabled the tracker himself."_  
  
_"Good, then that's that part of the plan taken care of."_  
  
_"Why don't you just kill Bond, and be done with it, Franz? Surely he is of no use to us."_  
  
_"Do not use that name! Franz Oberhauser is dead!" The man hissed. "I have my reasons, Mr Denbigh! You just focus on what you have been ordered to do and I'll worry about the rest!"_  
  
_"Very well." Denbigh agreed. "I'm assuming you will be using the base in Morocco?"_  
  
_"For the time being. It's only a temporary measure before we set up our permanent operations elsewhere. I'll be in touch. Don't disappoint me Denbigh, if you mess this up, I will put an end to you myself. Understood?"_  
  
_"Sir."_  
  
_"I'm glad we understand each other, Mr Denbigh. I'll get you, your final vote and be in touch with further updates..."_

/*\\*/*\

The memory ended and Minerva withdrew from his mind, breaking the connection.  
  
"Who the hell are you?" Denbigh demanded as he tried to scramble away from Minerva while looking around for his gun.  
  
"I'm someone you don't want to cross Mr Denbigh. Now where is Oberhauser's base of operations?!"  
  
"I don't know what you're talking about!"  
  
"Do not lie to me! You were in contact with Oberhauser and did something to Bond's tracker! Now, tell me where they are!"  
  
Denbigh tried not to flinch, as he looked at the older woman. "You are in a government building! If you do anything to me…"  
  
"I'll make sure they never find your body! So, enough with the threats and answer me!"  
  
"How did you get in here?" He looked over at Olivia. "It was you wasn't it? I'll have your head for this!"  
  
Olivia smirked, "You forget, Mr Denbigh, we live in a democracy. Once we inform the Minister of your little scheme, I would start to worry about your own life, rather than mine."  
  
"You have no proof…"  
  
"In fact, we do. I witnessed the full conversation between you and Mr Oberhauser just now."  
  
"How?" Denbigh questioned his face paling. "You're lying."  
  
"Am I?" Minerva raised an eyebrow, "but didn't you say, and I quote "' _As soon as you give the signal I can disable the information from his tracker. To everyone, Bond will be just another missing agent. I wouldn't be surprised if Mallory thinks he has run off with Doctor Swann, and disabled the tracker himself.'_ end quote."  
  
"That's not possible," Denbigh muttered. "How can you know that?"  
  
"I have my ways. Now, you're coming with us." Minerva rose from the ground and looked down at Denbigh with a scowl. "Get up!"  
  
"Or what?"  
  
Minerva pointed her want at him, her face set in steely determination. If she had to use a spell so be it. She would like nothing more than to hex him after he tried to kill Olivia.  
  
"Don't try my patience, Mr Denbigh. You won't like the outcome!"  
  
Denbigh kept his eyes on her wooden stick as he cautiously rose from the ground. He didn't know who or what she was, but he had a feeling she was telling the truth.  
  
"Where are we going?"  
  
"I think Mallory would be more than delighted to hear about everything that has transpired here. Wouldn't you say, Olivia?"  
  
"I think he would be most interested to know how you conspired against MI5 and MI6 for your own gain."  
  
Denbigh looked between the both of them, before pushing Minerva out the way and tried to make a run for the door.  
  
"Incarcerous!"  
  
Olivia watched as rope appeared from her wand and twisted itself around Denbigh's body, causing him to stumble and fall. Keeping her wand pointed at him, she looked down at the now bound Denbigh and smirked.  
  
"What are you?" He looked up at Olivia in fear.  
  
Kneeling down next to him, she leant close to whisper in his ear, "a very pissed off fiancé."  
  
"You and Bond? He muttered in disbelief.  
  
Olivia ignored him and looked over at Minerva, who was giving Denbigh a murderous glare. "You all right?"  
  
"I'm fine. No thanks to that dunderhead."  
  
Olivia tried not to laugh as she stood up, and walked over to Denbigh's desk and picked up his glass paperweight.  
  
"What are you doing?" Denbigh tried to struggle to get free from the ropes when he saw Minerva and Olivia walk towards him.  
  
"Grab a hold of him, Min."  
  
"If I must." Minerva tried to keep the annoyance from her voice.  
  
Olivia kneeled down next to her and placed the paperweight between them.  
  
"You ready?" Olivia asked looking over at Minerva.  
  
"As I'll ever be."  
  
Olivia tried not to smirk as she pointed her wand at the paperweight, "portus."  
  
She watched as the object glowed blue, and gave a nod to Minerva.  
  
Keeping on hand on Denbigh, Minerva reached out her free hand to the portkey the same time as Olivia, as the three occupants disappeared leaving Denbigh's office behind, only for them to crash onto a carpeted floor a few seconds later.  
  
"Did it work?" Minerva asked, pushing Denbigh away from her.  
  
"What the bloody hell is going on here?"  
  
Minerva and Olivia looked up at the sound of the voice only to see Mallory, Q, Eve and Tanner staring at them in surprise and disbelief.  
  
"It's a long story," Olivia told him, trying to stand up.  
  
Tanner walked over to her and helped her from the ground while Eve helped Minerva.  
  
"Then one of you had best start to explain just how the two of you plus Max Denbigh appeared out of bloody thin air!" Mallory demanded.  
  
Olivia and Minerva looked at each other, wondering how they were going to explain all of this.  
  
"I'm waiting." Mallory continued to stare at the two women waiting for an answer.  
  
"I'll let you explain Liv." Minerva felt her lip twitch as she tried to suppress a smile.  
  
"Then we are going to need some privacy," Olivia replied unamused at the recent turn of events.  
  
Once the charm was cast, Olivia began to tell the occupants gathered in the room everything that occurred in Denbigh's office. The sooner she got it over with, the sooner she could continue her search for James.


	3. Questions and Answers

~*~

Mallory, Eve, Tanner and Q looked at Olivia with shock and disbelief as she told them briefly that she and Minerva were witches, and that there was a magical world. She had waited for the onslaught of questions that would inevitably follow, so she was rather surprised when they remained silent. Olivia looked over at Minerva for help, who only gave a smile and shook her head in amusement.  
  
Giving her a scowl, she turned her attention back to the others and started to tell them everything from when she returned home to find Minerva in her home right up to the events in Denbigh's office that led to his capture. When she had finished, the silence was starting to unnerve her as they had yet to say anything.  
  
"So, let me get this straight, the both of you are actual witches?" Eve looked at both women in clarification that she had heard Olivia right.  
  
"Yes. Minerva and I met each other in our first year at Hogwarts, and we have been close ever since. She is my sister in all but blood."  
  
"Sorry, Hogwarts?" Tanner asked confused.  
  
"It's a school where witches and wizards go to learn magic. Minerva is the schools headmistress and Transfiguration professor."  
  
The room was once again surrounded by silence, with only Denbigh's struggles as he tried to get himself free.  
  
"I'll tell you all the full story at a later date, but for now, we have more pressing matters to deal with, especially the matter regarding Mr. Denbigh."  
  
"Ma'am, if you what you say is true, and Denbigh has been involved in all of this. How can you prove it? I know you said Minerva witnessed it, but how will that help us?" Tanner asked curiously. "Unless of course you have a way of seeing memories." He gave a nervous chuckle, only to stop when he saw the two women smirk. "Oh my god, you have?" He muttered.  
  
"Yes, we have, and thank you for bringing that to my attention, Mr. Tanner." Minerva gave the younger man a faint smile.  
  
"Anyone else have any questions before we move on?" Olivia asked looking at Mallory and Q.  
  
"How does it work? I know you said you have wands, but there must be something else, that makes you able to wield one." Q stated, pushing his glasses up his nose.  
  
"He would do well in Ravenclaw, Liv."  
  
"Yes, he would," Olivia told her sister proudly, which caused the younger quartermaster to blush.  
  
"Wait, that's one of the houses isn't it?" Eve smiled seeing Minerva nod. "So where do you think we would all be placed? Figuratively, I mean," she quickly added.  
  
"I'll let Liv, answer Q's question; and then I will answer yours, Miss Moneypenny."  
  
Eve gave the older woman a smile in response as she sat in wonder at all this new information.  
  
"You're right as always Q, but I'll try to keep this brief, as my knowledge of genetics is limited, but I will try and explain it the best I can."  
  
Q gave her a nod of understanding before Olivia continued.  
  
'The ability to perform magic or lack thereof is an inherent attribute. The wizarding gene, which is found in all witches and wizards is dominant while the non-magical gene found in Muggles and Squibs is recessive."  
  
"Sorry to interrupt, but what's a squib?" Eve asked intrigued.  
  
"Those unable to do magic and are born to magical parents are known as Squibs; It's when the non-magical gene resurfaces, causing the offspring to, therefore, be non-magical. A witch or wizard born to Muggle parents is known as Muggle-born. This is when a Muggle family is descended from a Squib, and the wizarding gene resurfaces many generations later. But it's not just humans; many magical beings can perform magic, such as house-elves, and goblins. Even Fairies possess a type of weak magic."  
  
"Wait, fairies as in Tinkerbell?" Tanner blurted causing Olivia to smirk at his outburst.  
  
"I never pegged you for a Disney person, Tanner." Eve nudged him with a smile.  
  
"I'm not, but my niece is," Tanner replied in defence.  
  
"Anyway, moving on." Olivia continued wanting this over with as quickly as possible.  
  
"So, does everyone have a different level of magic?" Mallory piped up causing Minerva's eyes to narrow.  
  
"In a sense, yes, but it all falls back on training, hard work, and undivided attention to instructions to acquire the correct discipline for each individual. So whether you are asking me is one witch or wizard born more powerful than the other, the answer is no. A person's emotions, however, can influence incantations thus making the spells more powerful."  
  
"And your wand?" Q questioned. "Do you need it to perform magic or can you do it without?"  
  
Olivia crossed her arms over her chest slowly regretting answering Q's question.  
  
"Almost all human magic is done with the use of a wand or magical staff. However, they are some witches and wizards who can do magic without a wand, though it is often unfocused and uncontrolled."  
  
"Can you, Ma'am?" Eve inquired.  
  
"Of sorts, but Minerva has had more practice at wandless magic, so she is more advanced at it than myself."  
  
"I see. I take it you can't bring people back from the dead?" Q inquired.  
  
"No. Magic has its limits just like everything else. We can't magic money out of thin air, or become immortal and we certainly can't resurrect the dead, but we have a means to prolong life, but it's dangerous, and there has only ever been two cases that I know of." Olivia looked at Minerva, who gave a nod in acknowledgment.  
  
"What about spells? What's the most powerful?" Eve asked in wonder.  
  
"There is one, but it's not a spell per say, but it is the highest form of magic there is, at least according to Dumbledore."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"Love," Olivia stated simply with a smile.  
  
"What a load of rubbish!" Denbigh scoffed causing twelve pairs of eyes to look down at him.  
  
"Would you like a repeat of what happened in your office Mr. Denbigh? I'm sure Minerva would be more than willing to give a live demonstration."  
  
When Denbigh didn't answer, Olivia gave a triumphant smirk, "I thought not."  
  
"You think you're smart spouting all this nonsense? Tell me, does Mallory know of your little relationship with 007?"  
  
"If you are referring to their personal relationship, Max. Then yes, I was fully aware." Mallory walked around from behind his desk and stood next to Olivia.  
  
"Now, I think it's time you told us of 007's whereabouts?"  
  
"Go to hell, Mallory!" Denbigh spat.  
  
"If you don't speak, I'm sure Olivia and Minerva will be more than capable of making you talk."  
  
Minerva stepped forward and pulled Olivia over to one side. "He isn't going to tell us, Liv."  
  
"I know, which is why I need you to bring me a vial of Veritaserum."  
  
"You know administration of that potion is controlled by the Ministry of Magic, Liv…"  
  
"I do, but what they don't know won't hurt them." Olivia saw the hesitancy on Minerva's face at her request. "Please, Min. It may be our only chance of finding James."  
  
"All right, but if we get caught… you're taking the blame." Minerva warned.  
  
"Thank you," Olivia told her gratefully.  
  
Minerva looked back down at Denbigh, who was now arguing with Mallory about how he was innocent.  
  
"Don't thank me just yet," Minerva stressed knowing there was a chance that when and if they found James, he may not even be alive.  
  
"I know what you're thinking, Min, and I'm prepared for the worse case scenario. I just want him home."  
  
"Very well, I'll be back in half an hour. I need to pick up a few things from my office."  
  
"If you need to return to the school after we know James' location I will understand."  
  
"Nonsense, I'll put Filius in charge until I return. You're not the only one who wants him back, Liv. I do too." Minerva stated and looked back over to Olivia. "I'll be back soon, make sure Denbigh doesn't escape."  
  
"You can count on it."  
  
Minerva gave her one last smile before she was gone causing an echoing crack to resound around the room, causing everyone except Olivia to jump at the unexpected sound.  
  
"Where did she go?" Tanner asked warily.  
  
"To get some equipment from her office, she will be back shortly."  
  
"What was that?" Eve asked pointing at the spot where Minerva had just disappeared.  
  
Olivia would have laughed if she weren't tired of all the questions. "That was apparition, one of the methods we can use to travel from place to place."  
  
Eve's hand dropped back down to her side, wondering how much more Olivia still had to tell them about her world. She found it fascinating that there was a secret society of witches and wizards, and goodness knows what else. She wondered if she could visit the magical world at some point. It certainly would be interesting.  
  
"Tanner, perhaps you can help Mallory get Denbigh up from the floor and on to a chair until Minerva returns," Olivia suggested wanting to get back to the matter as to why they were here in the first place.  
  
"Get your hands off me! When the Minister finds out about this, all of you are finished!"  
  
Olivia walked over to him and pointed her wand at his face once he was in the chair.  
  
"And when the Minister finds out about your dealings, you'll never see the light of day! Now shut up or I'll do it for you!"  
  
Denbigh remained silent, as he kept his eyes on her wand not putting it past the older woman to use it.  
  
"Q, I need you to go and get your laptop. When we find out what Denbigh has done to James' tracker, we will need you to fix it so we can find his location."  
  
"Of course, Ma'am." Q agreed and quickly left the room.  
  
"What do you need us to do, Ma'am?" Eve stepped forward waiting for orders.  
  
"You and Tanner, guard Denbigh. I need to have a word with Olivia." Mallory ordered.  
  
"Of course, Sir." Eve acknowledged as she watched Mallory and Olivia leave the room wondering what he wanted to speak to her about now.

/*\\*/*\

Mallory led Olivia out into the corridor and took them into an adjacent office next to his own.  
  
"Mind telling me what this is about, Gareth?"  
  
Mallory closed the door and turned to look at her, his face neutral. "Why didn't you inform me of your relationship with 007?"  
  
Olivia narrowed her eyes and crossed her arms over her chest, "It was nobody's business except mine. He is no longer my agent, so I don't understand why we need to have this discussion. Besides, you apparently already knew."  
  
"I wasn't going to give Denbigh the satisfaction that he knew before I did. So how long?"  
  
"We officially got together in 2008 after the arrest of Yusef Kabira."  
  
"Christ, he was still your agent. You broke protocol and had a sexual relationship with one of your agents…"  
  
"Which I don't regret in the slightest." Olivia cut him off before he could continue. "It didn't interfere with our working relationship. In case, you have forgotten; I gave the order for Eve to take the shot when he was trying to retrieve the hard drive from Patrice when I knew very well my orders could have killed him! As a matter of fact, they did! For three months I thought he was dead before he turned up at my apartment! So don't you dare stand there and tell me I broke protocol!"  
  
"I apologise, I should have suspected there was something more between you both."  
  
"You did. It was as you said, I am sentimental over James, but it wasn't for whatever reasons you thought Gareth." She softly told him.  
  
"What do you mean?"  
  
"When James was in my apartment that night after he had returned from Turkey, he proposed. He told me that after his brush with death and the attack on MI6, that life was too short to worry about the consequences on how our relationship may affect our jobs. And for once I agreed with him."  
  
"You're engaged?" Mallory questioned wondering if he was hearing her right.  
  
"Yes, we are. We had hoped to marry after the mess with Silva was taken care of, but you know how that ended."  
  
"If I knew beforehand, I would never have suggested for you to fake your death. I bet your sister wasn't too thrilled when she found out."  
  
"You could say that." Olivia gave him an amused smile.  
  
"Does James know?"  
  
"That I'm alive?" she asked seeing Mallory giving a nod of his head.  
  
"No, he doesn't, which is another reason I need to find him. He needs to know the truth. He may hate me for it; in fact, I know he will. But as long as he knows I'm alive, I'll worry about consequences later."  
  
Mallory had often wondered how Bond would take the news should he find out Olivia was alive. He would be angry, but he had a feeling most of that anger would be directed at him for suggesting the plan in the first place.  
  
"I highly doubt that."  
  
"Sorry?" She replied confused.  
  
"Bond, he could never hate you."  
  
Olivia gave a wry smile, "I wouldn't be too sure of that; you should have seen us the first few months working together."  
  
"That was then; this is now. Tell me, did he hate you after you nearly got him killed in Turkey?"  
  
Olivia thought back to that evening when she returned home to her apartment, to find James drinking her best scotch almost giving her a heart attack in the process. While she was glad he wasn't dead, he still should have bloody called instead making her grieve for three months. Now, it was hypocritical to hold it against James, when she had done the same thing. He hadn't hated her; he was more angry and hurt than anything. Not because she nearly had him killed, but because she never trusted him enough to make sure he finished the job of killing Patrice and retrieving the hard drive. To James trust was everything, and she had probably just ruined her chances for him to trust her again. Not that she would blame him, she deserved it.  
  
"Olivia?"  
  
The sound of her name caused her to come out of her thoughts, to see Mallory looking at her in worry.  
  
"What was your question?"  
  
"I said, did Bond hate you after you nearly got him killed in Turkey?"  
  
"No, but he was angry and hurt that I didn't trust him enough to finish the job. Trust is everything to James and I've broken his trust twice; I doubt he would forgive me a third time."  
  
"What do you mean twice?"  
  
"Do you remember reading about the incident that involved Dominic Greene?"  
  
"Vaguely, he was working with the previous Minister to blackmail Bond, but that doesn't explain why you think you broke his trust."  
  
Olivia rolled her eyes at Mallory's statement. She should have known he wouldn't have read the file from start to finish.  
  
"I believed that James had gone rouge and was responsible for Mathis' death, as well as killing a member of Special Branch. It was only after my meeting with the minister that I realised none of it could be true. They had set Bond up, and I fell for it."  
  
"Yes, but you told me you both got together in 2008 after the arrest of Yusef Kabira. If he didn't forgive you, he wouldn't have started a relationship with you."  
  
"When did you get this insightful, Gareth?" She raised an eyebrow.  
  
"I'm not, I'm just telling you how it is. Will he be angry with you? More than likely. But he will forgive you. If anything, he will probably be angrier with me than with you."  
  
"Perhaps, but we need to find him first."  
  
"There is also that minor detail." Mallory rubbed the back of his neck. "I guess I owe you an apology."  
  
"Whatever for?" Olivia asked bewildered.  
  
"For giving up on him as quick as I did. I should have realised that Denbigh may have been in on it." He told her in frustration.  
  
"Well, considering you had MI5, as well the Minister breathing down your neck, and also the fact you are going to be out of a job. It wasn't your fault. You did what you could. I realise that now. There was nothing you could have done, even if you wanted to."  
  
Mallory gave a small chuckle in response, "I never thought I would see the day we could be civil towards each other."  
  
Olivia gave a smile in amusement, "If someone were to tell me we would be having this conversation that day when I was in your office, I would never believe it myself. But that was then; this is now. Times are changing Gareth. This merger with MI5 much or less proves that, but don't let the committee or the minister win. You can still save what is left of MI6."  
  
"And how am I supposed to do that exactly? The Double-0 programme will soon be non-existent.  
  
"It doesn't have to be. We have Denbigh, and once we show the evidence of him being a double agent to the Prime Minister, do you think MI5, the committee will put their faith in a surveillance network that caused the death of countless civilians in Tangier, Hamburg, and Cape Town? Once word gets out that our government just stood by and let it happen right under their nose, the Prime Minister will have an uproar on his hands."  
  
"And how will that help us?"  
  
"Think about it. They won't want word getting out that it was one of MI5's employees who was more or less responsible for the attacks. So, you will tell them that you will destroy the information, only if they reinstate the Double-0 programme, and keep MI5 and MI6's affairs separate. If they refuse the offer, give all the information we have to the press. You will be out of a job in a few days, so you have nothing to lose."  
  
"You're talking about blackmailing the full Cabinet, and the Prime Minister, Olivia. Never mind my job, I could end up dead, or better yet, they could go after Eve, Tanner and Q. Not to mention you and Bond. There is too much at stake." Mallory told her warily.  
  
"Someone once told me a long time ago, that I didn't have the balls to do this job. I proved them and everyone else wrong over the years. If I could do it, you sure as bloody well can. I didn't back down when you threw the voluntary retirement spiel in my face that day in your office. And I most certainly never backed down from Claire Dower even when she criticised my inability to do my job and more or less said the Double-0 programme was irrelevant. Even though I knew Silva had escaped, I stayed in that committee room defending not only my actions but my agents and the welfare of MI6."  
  
Mallory stood staring at her not knowing what to say. He had always assumed she wasn't aware of Silva's escape when in fact she knew all along, and she still stayed defending her case knowing she could have been killed. It made him respect her more than what he already did.  
  
"Look, you were appointed as my successor for a reason, Gareth. Don't let me have lost my job just for seventeen years of my hard work to be destroyed in the space of a few days." Olivia searched his face for any sign of what he was thinking. "This is your chance to prove that you have what it takes to be the head of MI6. If not for yourself then do it for your agents and personnel who have dedicated their life to this job over the years."  
  
He knew she was right to sit back and go out without a fight would be the coward's way out, but to blackmail the Prime Minister was easier said than done.  
  
"All right, we'll try it your way. I just hope this plan of yours will work."  
  
"Trust me; I've been dealing with those bastards long enough to know that they will agree to your terms."  
  
"I have no doubt about that, Olivia."  
  
She was about to reply when there was a knock at the door.  
  
"Enter," Mallory called out, watching as the door opened to reveal Eve.  
  
"What is it, Eve?" Olivia asked softly.  
  
"Minerva is back."  
  
"All ready? She's getting quick in her old age." Olivia muttered, noticing Eve's smile. "And don't you dare tell her I said that."  
  
"Your secret is safe, Ma'am."  
  
"Good, tell Minerva we will be along in a moment."  
  
"Of course," Eve told them and closed the door behind her.  
  
Once she was sure they were once again alone, she turned back to Mallory. "Remember what I told you, don't let them win, and certainly don't let them see you break." She walked towards him and placed a hand on his arm, "I have every faith in you Gareth, even if you don't have faith in yourself."  
  
She gave him one last comforting smile and let go of his arm before leaving the room.  
  
Mallory watched her leave, silently glad that he had her on his side. If anyone knew whom the Minister and committee were like, it was Olivia; god knows she has had enough dealings with them over the years.  
  
Following after her, he would do what she suggested, not just for the agents, the personnel or even himself. He would also do it for her; he, at least, owed it to Olivia to continue where she had left off. Even if it killed him, he would see this right through to the very end.

/*\\*/*\

 **Diham Metropolitana Facility - Verona, Italy**  
  
Oberhauser stared through the glass window as he watched his incapacitated little brother lying strapped down on the white medical bed. His machine had worked, and the results were more than satisfying. The majority of his memories were now gone, along with some of his sight. He would be of no use to anyone, but he would make sure he was looked after.  
  
"Sir, we have something you may want to see."  
  
Oberhauser tore his eyes away from James and turned to look at the man that had disturbed him.  
  
"Well, are you going to show me?"  
  
The computer analyst held out the black tablet and pressed play.  
  
Oberhauser watched the scenes in Denbigh's office unfold as his eyes lit up in amusement.  
  
"So, Olivia Mansfield returns from the dead," he whispered under his breath as he continued to watch the footage.  
  
"Wait," he ordered taking the tablet out of the analyst's hand as he rewound the footage, before pausing it.  
  
"Well, this certainly is interesting."  
  
"Sir?" The analyst questioned confused.  
  
"Contact Mr. Travers and tell him to meet me here."  
  
Not questioning why, the analyst muttered a silent 'Sir,' under his breath before hurrying off to carry out his orders.  
  
"What else have you been hiding all these years, Olivia?" He zoomed in on the paused screen studying the older woman who was in Denbigh's office with her.  
  
"I was told you wanted to see me?" The cool voice stated as he stood next to his new boss.  
  
"Yes, perhaps you can tell me who this is." Oberhauser pointed to the woman on the screen who was standing next to Olivia.  
  
"McGonagall," he spat out the name as if it left a foul taste in his mouth.  
  
"I see," Oberhauser muttered looking at the tall, thin wizard next to him.  
  
"And do you know why she is with the ex-head of MI6?"  
  
"There used to be word that Minerva had a sister in the muggle world, but no one knew if it was true or just a rumour. That was until she showed up to fight with the light in the battle of Hogwarts in 1998. It turned out Dumbledore had Minerva's sister working undercover for MI6 after the First Wizarding War broke out in the 1970s." He informed Oberhauser through gritted teeth. "The both of them would have been my executioners if it hadn't been for Bellatrix distracting them long enough allowing me to escape."  
  
Travers crossed his arms over his chest and stared at Bond through the window noticing the agent was muttering to himself. He would soon be a lost cause that they may as well kill him and be done with it.  
  
"You're wondering why I'm keeping him alive?"  
  
"He is of no use to us. The longer you keep him alive, the more chance Olivia and McGonagall have of finding us. Denbigh won't keep quiet."  
  
Oberhauser gave a smile, "I know, which is something I'm counting on."  
  
Travers dark eyes bore into Oberhauser wondering what it was he had planned.  
  
"I've known Olivia was alive ever since Mallory contacted her about James' disappearance, which is why I knew It was only a matter of time before she went after Denbigh."  
  
The sound of a door opening inside James room caused Travers to watch in fascination as Bond started to thrash on the bed trying to get away from the person who had entered.  
  
"I'm sure you know Emeline Zaras?" Oberhauser questioned as he watched the proceedings inside the room with smug satisfaction.  
  
It was then that Travers knew what Oberhauser had been doing. He hadn't known what had happened to the woman after the final battle. It didn't help that she was a Metamorphmagus that allowed her to change her appearance and blend in with society; it made him wonder how the man next to him got her on his side.  
  
"How did you find her?" Travers asked keeping eyes transfixed on the woman.  
  
"She found me. The last time you met her, she went by the name of Doctor Madeleine Swann. It turns out that, White was unaware that his daughter had been dead for quite some time, and Emeline had taken her identity."  
  
Travers smirked at the recent turn of events. He wondered where the doctor had disappeared to, but now he knew. Emeline no longer looked like the tall, young blonde doctor he had first met. Now, she was small in stature and dressed in a black three-piece dress suit. Her once short curled blonde hair was now white and styled in a pixie cut. She was a carbon copy of the woman whom he had seen in the video only a few minutes prior upon his arrival.  
  
"You see, if dear Olivia comes to rescue James, do you think the man will let her anywhere near him?"  
  
The ex-Death Eater knew Oberhauser had a point. It would certainly break the agent more than any method of torture they could have administered.  
  
"There is one thing I need you to do Travers."  
  
"What's that?"  
  
"Take care of McGonagall, but leave Olivia to me. I want her to see what she has done to my little brother." Oberhauser mocked as Emeline approached James with a syringe in her hand, before injecting the contents into his IV.  
  
"What are you going to do to him?" Travers inquired as he watched them wheel James' bed out of the room.  
  
"Once the relaxant has worn off, our dear Emeline or should I say, Olivia, is going to interrogate him. All fake of course, but the pain I can assure you will be quite real."  
  
Oberhauser gave a nod of his head in acknowledgement when Emeline looked in their general direction giving both men a smirk before leaving through the door where they had just taken James.  
  
"Now, this is where the fun truly begins," Oberhauser whispered giving a wry smile at the thought of their little reunion.

It certainly would to be a moment that James and Olivia would never forget.


	4. The Interrogation

~*~

Olivia walked back into Mallory's office, only to see Minerva placing a shallow silver basin on Mallory's desk, along with two small vials one of which was black and the other clear.

"You were quick," Olivia stated as the other woman turned to look at her.

"I said I would be. What did Mallory wish to speak to you about?"

Olivia frowned, "How do you know about that?"

"Miss Moneypenny informed me on my arrival when I noticed you were no longer here."

"I see," Olivia turned to look at the younger woman who gave her a sheepish smile in response.

"Well?" Minerva looked at her expectantly as she waited for an answer.

"I needed Olivia's advice on some business matters," Mallory informed Minerva not wanting to say too much in front of Denbigh.

"And did you manage to resolve whatever it was you needed advice on?"

"We did, Min. There is nothing to worry about. Now, shall we make a start?"

Minerva gave Mallory a calculating look and decided to inquire more about the matter later when she and Olivia were alone.

"How do we do this exactly Ma'am?" Tanner questioned as he tore his eyes away from the items on the desk.

"You're about to find out, Tanner." She looked over at Minerva with a smile.

He was about to ask what she meant when he heard Eve's surprised voice causing him to turn and look back towards Minerva, who was currently pointing her wand to her temple, her eyes closed in concentration. He would have thought nothing of it if it weren't for a silvery substance that seemed to be stretching from temple to wand like a thick gossamer strand, which broke as she pulled the wand away from it and fell gracefully into the silver basin.

"What was that?"

"That Mr Tanner was the memory I witnessed earlier in Denbigh's office," Minerva informed him as she picked up the small black vial.

"And what did you put it in?" Eve asked walking closer to the silver basin that was emitting a silver glow.

Upon closer inspection, Eve noticed the basin was filled with a silvery substance that could only be described as a cloud-like liquid with various runes and strange symbols carved around the edge. She had never seen anything like it, and doubt she would ever see anything like it again.

"This is a pensieve, Miss Moneypenny. It allows us to review any memories we have for other participants to witness."

"Like a Movie?" Eve questioned.

"Yes, like a movie," Olivia answered for Minerva, who looked confused.

"And the vials?" Tanner inquired. "What do they contain?"

"I don't think I've had as many questions asked in the space of a day, well not since Miss Granger was a student at the school twenty years ago," Minerva muttered out loud.

"Admit it Min. You would be curious as well." Olivia raised an eyebrow and crossed her arms over her chest.

Minerva gave her a scowl before turning to look back at Tanner. "The black vial contains veritaserum and is one of the strongest truth potions in our world. Three drops of this and the person you are questioning will tell you whatever you want to know. The clear vial is an antidote if you will and cures the person under the influence of the potion."

Tanner's eyes widened not wanting to believe that a small vial such as that could make a person disclose information. If that landed in the wrong hands, it could end in disaster.

"Is it legal to use Ma'am?"

Olivia looked over at Minerva who looked away from her apparently not wanting to have to help her explain how they were essentially breaking the law by administering the potion without the Ministry's permission.

"I take that as a no," Tanner muttered as he looked at both women who were now silent.

The sound of footsteps approaching caused all the occupants in the room except Denbigh to turn in the general direction were the sound was coming from only to see Q standing in the doorway holding his laptop close to his chest.

He stopped in his tracks at seeing all their eyes on him, "what did I miss?"

"It seems you're just in time Q," Mallory told the young quartermaster.

"Why don't you set up and we can get started."

"Right away, Sir."

Mallory watched him go, before walking over to Olivia. Standing beside her, he kept his attention on the vial in Minerva's hand.

"The administration of that potion isn't legal, is it?" He whispered so only Olivia could hear.

"No. You need the Ministry's approval to use it." She admitted quietly looking up at him, "but we don't have time to go through the proper channels."

Mallory frowned not liking this plan in the slightest, but this was now out of his hands, "I hope you know what you are doing, Olivia because this could fall back on all of us, especially you and Minerva."

"I'm well aware of that Gareth, which is why should they ever find out I'll say it was my idea and mine alone."

"That's all well and good, but what if this Ministry use this potion on you and find out you were lying what then?"

She hadn't thought that far ahead. There was every possibility the Ministry could use veritaserum on her if they thought she was lying. Then where would they be? Mallory, Eve, Tanner and Q she could probably say had no idea what they were doing, but Minerva wouldn't be as lucky. They would arrest her as well for being an accomplice and allowing her access to the potion in the first place. She was not only risking her life, but Minerva's as well.

"I'll worry about that when it comes to it Gareth. I just want to focus on finding James whereabouts first and foremost. I'll worry about the repercussions of my actions later."

"And what is James going to do if he gets you back only to lose you again?"

"It may not come to that…"

'But if it does, what then?" Mallory chided. "There must be another way…"

Olivia gave a scoff, "Like what? Torture him for information? That would be worse than using veritaserum. That is unless of course, you have a better idea?"

She waited for him to reply, but received no answer. "I thought not," she muttered under her breath.

"I just don't want you to do something you will later regret, Olivia."

"Regret is unprofessional as I'm sure you are well aware, Gareth." She looked over at Minerva, who was speaking to Tanner and Eve. "Let me worry about me, and you just focus on making sure the Double-0 section gets reinstated."

Mallory watched her with a thoughtful look as she went to stand over by Minerva. He knew his words would have little effect on her changing her mind, but he had to try at least and make her see reason.

"Everything is ready, Sir." Q looked towards Mallory over his laptop monitor.

"Very well. Ladies you're up."

Minerva gave one last look at Olivia before making her way over to Denbigh, who eyes held a hint of fear when he noticed the black vial in her hand.

"I would rather not use this on you Mr Denbigh, so I'll give you one last chance to tell us everything you know about Oberhauser's plan and where he is keeping James."

Denbigh merely laughed in response, "And what's in it for me? Even if I wanted to tell you, he would kill me."

"We can offer you protection." Mallory suggested hoping the man would come to his senses.

Denbigh merely scoffed at the idea, "Protection? Blofeld has people everywhere as Olivia is no doubt aware, considering her personal bodyguard tried to kill her! So what makes you think you can stop the same happening this time around?"

He looked around the room waiting for an answer, "Just as I expected, you can't can you? I would be risking my life just so Ms Mansfield can get her toyboy back when he may already be dead! I do have to congratulate her on her determination, I can see why she would want her precious, 007 back, he's the only person who could love an uptight bitch such as herself. She will now probably wither away and die alone with no one beside her." Denbigh's eyes found Olivia's own. "And Oberhauser won't stop with Bond; you will lose everyone you love, your Chief of Staff for example."

Olivia looked over at Tanner, who didn't flinch at the threat.

"Always the loyal companion, who would do anything for you." Denbigh's eyes landed on Moneypenny next, "then we have the ex-agent turned secretary who admires you as her idol and what she aspires to be further down her career."

Olivia clenched her hands into fists as she saw his eyes were now on Q.

"That's enough!"

Denbigh ignored her and continued, "Your quartermaster, who also happens to be the great-nephew of the old Q, who was also your closest friend of many years. Tell me, how do you think he would have reacted should he have found out that you broke his promise to take care of his great nephew when he passed."

"How do you know about that?" Olivia demanded remembering losing the older man six years ago. His sudden death came; as a shock considering she had just spoken to him the night before, and had asked her to look after his great-nephew should anything happen to him. Olivia agreed, never thinking it would be the last time that she would speak with him.

Denbigh's chuckle brought her out of her thoughts as she narrowed her eyes.

"Because It was Oberhauser's men that killed him."

"You're lying. He suffered a heart-attack." Q denied not wanting to believe what Denbigh was saying.

"Yes, amazing what the effects of an overdose of potassium chloride can do to the body. Your great uncle was like a father figure to dear James, as well as being Olivia's dearest friend. I guess you could say he hurt two birds with one Q." Denbigh smirked at his own joke.

"Which brings us on to Mallory. Your newest friend shall we say. Not to mention he is the only person who will continue where your work left off allowing you to still call the shots. That just leaves the last person on our little list. Your sister."

"Leave her out of this!"

"You brought her into this mess, Olivia. If anything should happen to her, you only have yourself to blame. Then who would you turn to? Everyone you hold dear will be dead; you will be all alone and begging for death!"

"CRUCIO!"

A loud scream pierced the air as Denbigh writhed in excruciating pain as his body shuddered and jerked. He felt as if a thousand invisible knives were being stabbed all over his could vaguely hear Olivia's voice over his screams, but the pain was getting too much for him to concentrate.

"Minerva, stop this! He isn't worth it!" Olivia ordered as Denbigh's screams grew louder before suddenly coming to an abrupt stop.

She watched as Minerva lowered her wand and stood staring down at Denbigh's still form, her breathing heavy. Olivia cautiously approached ignoring the stares from her ex-colleagues who were no doubt stunned into silence at what they had just witnessed.

She had never seen Minerva lose control so much that she had to resort to using an unforgivable on someone, even if it was Denbigh.

"The things he said, Liv…"

"I know. But getting yourself thrown in Azkaban and losing your job isn't the way to go. Don't give him the satisfaction that he is getting to you; it's what he wants, and you are playing right into his hands."

"What? And let him get away with threatening everyone's lives in this room, Liv! I don't think so! That man-" Minerva pointed her wand at Denbigh's lifeless body, "is going to pay for what he's done, along with the rest of his little organisation!"

"And they will, but this isn't the way to go about it, Min. We still need him to tell us James' whereabouts." Olivia stated, reaching out and placing her hand on Minerva's arm in comfort.

Minerva gave a sigh in defeat knowing Olivia was right, but that didn't mean she wouldn't be keeping a close eye on Denbigh. If the man put another toe out of line, she would kill him.

"Is he dead?" Eve asked fearful that the older witch had killed him.

"No, more's the pity." Minerva told the younger woman in disdain.

"What did you do to him?" Tanner walked in closer to get a better look at the man.

"Now isn't the time, Tanner." Olivia answered never taking her eyes off Minerva. "Perhaps you should let me do the interrogation Min."

Minerva finally caught Olivia's eyes, "No. I'm more than capable of asking him a few questions."

Olivia looked away from Minerva and down at the still form of Denbigh, debating whether she should allow her sister anywhere near the man especially with what had just occurred.

"You don't trust me, do you Liv?"

"Of course, I trust you, how can you even think that?" Olivia asked looking back at her in disbelief.

"But not with this it seems."

"Can you blame me? You just used an unforgivable on the man." Olivia quietly hissed hoping she could see it from her point of view.

"Not my finest moment, but I don't regret it either. You would have done the same and don't try to deny it."

There was nothing she could say, knowing Minerva was right. She would have done the same, but that didn't make it right.

"You can't answer me, can you Liv?" Minerva gave a wry smile. "You want to interrogate him, then by all means go ahead." She held out the black vial for Olivia to take, "I won't stop you."

Olivia looked at the black vial, before reaching out and taking it from Minerva's grasp.

"Sorry to interrupt, but perhaps we should make sure he is all right?" Eve suggested noticing the man was still unconscious.

"If we must." Minerva muttered pointing her wand once again at Denbigh. "Rennervate."

The man gave a groan in pain as his eyes slowly opened and landed on Olivia. "What did your freak of a sister do to me?" He demanded gritting his teeth to try and hide the pain travelling through his body.

"I would be careful what you say, Mr Denbigh, we wouldn't want a repeat performance would we?" Minerva smirked at seeing the trace of fear in his eyes at her words.

"I thought not." Minerva murmured. "Olivia, when you're ready?"

"You may want to hold his mouth open. Otherwise, we could be here for a while."

"It would be my pleasure, Liv." She re-pointed her wand at Denbigh and muttered a spell under her breath watching as his eyes glazed over.

Olivia gave Minerva a scathing look when she heard the spell she had used.

"Don't look at me like that, you wanted help, and this was the easiest option. Now, hurry up and administer the potion so we can get him out of our sight."

"We'll be having a talk later, Min."

Minerva merely rolled her eyes and ordered Denbigh to take the potion from Olivia and drink the full contents.

Olivia looked over at Minerva as if she were crazy, "Are you mad? Tell him to stop!" Olivia ordered before turning her attention back on Denbigh, watching as the vial drew nearer to Denbigh's lips with no intention of stopping.

"You'll bloody overdose him!"

"Would you relax, Liv? I already put the recommended dosage in the vial. He'll be fine. Well, for now, at least." Minerva told her nonchalantly as if nothing was wrong.

"And you didn't think to mention that beforehand?" Olivia hissed.

"It must have slipped my mind." Minerva replied innocently, which wasn't far from the truth. She had forgotten with everything that was going on upon her return from the castle.

Tanner and Eve kept their attention on the two older women as they bickered back and forth.

"Remind me to never get on Minerva's bad side, Eve."

"Duly noted, Tanner. What do you think the spell was that Minerva used just now?"

"I have no idea, but Olivia didn't seem too thrilled." Tanner acknowledged as the woman in question gave Minerva a cold hard look in disapproval.

As Tanner continued to watch the two women, he started to feel uneasy about this whole scenario. It wasn't that he didn't trust them to handle the situation with Denbigh, but Minerva's outburst caused him to worry about what she may do should she lose control entirely. They already had enough problems to deal with; they didn't need a temperamental witch added to their list.

He came out of his thoughts when he heard Olivia ask Denbigh his name, occupation and whom it was he worked for. He didn't expect the man to answer knowing they had little luck from him so far, and he doubted the potion would them help any.

A few seconds ticked by before Denbigh replied, his voice no longer his own and devoid of emotion as he started to disclose the information Olivia had asked for.

"At least, we know that potion of theirs worked, Tanner."

Tanner lost his ability to speak to answer Eve's question and just decided to nod in agreement. Perhaps their chances of finding James didn't look as bleak after all.

/*\\*/*\

**Diham Metropolitana Facility - Verona, Italy**

"How is our interrogation going on dear James, Emeline?"

"Satisfactory. He claims he isn't a traitor and has never worked or disclosed any of MI6's secrets to Quantum. Though we both know that to be true, don't we?" She gave a smirk as she looked down at the fake CCTV images of James speaking with Mr White.

"Good, I want him broken, Emeline. If Olivia should come and rescue him, which I have no doubt she will, I want her to see her handy work before I kill them both."

"Oh, we are just getting started. By the time I'm through with him, he will be begging for his precious Olivia to end his life. That is- if he doesn't manage to do it himself first."

Blofeld looked through the interrogation window to see the exposed, and unmoving figure of James suspended in mid-air with his wrists tied behind his back, in the center of the white tiled room. There wasn't an inch of his skin that wasn't covered in deep purple bruising and dried blood from the various lacerations and burns that covered his torso and back.

He felt no remorse for his actions; he had been waiting for this moment for quite sometime. The once great 007 reduced to nothing more than a broken man waiting for his suffering to end. When the time came, he would have no compunction of ending James' life. After all, brothers always help each other out in the end.

The small moan caused Blofeld to come out of his thoughts when he realised their prisoner was starting to regain consciousness.

"I think it's time we start round two, Emeline. Don't you?" Blofeld looked over at the younger woman who once again looked like M.

"It would be my pleasure." Emeline stated before leaving the observation room.

As she approached the interrogation room, she gave a nod to the guards to open the doors allowing her to enter. Stepping inside, she walked towards James, noticing the red blood droplets covering the white floor from his wounds.

She never fully understood muggle torture methods, deeming them irrelevant, when magic could cause much more damage. That was at least until she had recently witnessed and carried them out first hand.

Emeline disguised as M, circled her prey, giving a smile when she heard the pitiful moan come from the man when she pressed down on one of the wounds on his back. As he tried to struggle free, she pressed down harder, digging her nails into the open flesh causing the man to give a piercing scream before she stepped away from him.

Ignoring his blood that was now covering her fingers, she walked around until she was facing him, hearing his laboured breathing echo around the room.

"All of this can end right here, right now James, if you just tell me what I want to know." She waited patiently for him to answer, watching as his head continued to rest against his chest.

Reaching out, she grabbed the short strands of his hair and pulled his head back causing him to give out another moan in pain before his bloodshot, pain filled eyes met her own.

"I'm losing my patience, Bond! What secrets have you sold to Quantum?"

James continued to stare straight ahead refusing to answer her questions all the while wondering how she knew his name and just who or what were Quantum. The way she was talking it seemed he had worked for her. From what he could make out of her appearance through his failing eyesight, he had never seen this woman in his life, even if her tone of voice did seem familiar.

There didn't seem to be a part of his body that didn't ache. He wished this woman would just kill him and be done with it. At least, that way he would be finally at peace and would no longer have to suffer.

He tried to pay attention to what she was saying, but it proved more difficult with each passing second as his body wanted nothing more than to surrender to unconsciousness.

"And there I thought we could trust each other, James. You have betrayed my trust and for that, no matter how long it takes, you will tell me what I want to know. " M hissed letting go of his head.

Still receiving no answer, she could feel herself start to lose patience with his lack of co-operation.

"Since you wish to remain silent, it seems I need to give you need another lesson on how to follow orders. But before I do, I will give you one last chance to answer. "Tell me what secrets you have sold to Quantum?"

M watched as James tried to lift his head and looked towards her. She couldn't help but smirk at how weak and pitiful he looked.

"What's the matter, James? The strain of the job finally getting to you?" She taunted as she reached out to stroke his face in a lovers caress.

"Go… to hell." He spat breathlessly.

The smirk on M's face vanished as she removed her hand, took out her wand and pointed it above heart.

"I had hoped we could have avoided this James. CRUCIO!"

M's eyes were ablaze with anger as she relished in James' screams as his body writhed against the ropes that bound and suspended him in mid-air.

Ending the curse, she looked down at James, who was fighting to catch his breath and remain conscious.

"I told… you. I… don't… know… anything." He quietly muttered straining to look up at her. "You've got the... wrong man. So… you may… as well end… this now."

M smiled sweetly at him, "Oh, James, perhaps I should have mentioned one minor detail."

"Which is?"

She leaned in closer to whisper in his ear, "we're just getting started."

M looked behind James and motioned for the two guards to come forward.

"Cut him down!"

M took a step back as she watched James fall to the floor with a dull thud before staring up at her with a look mixed with hatred and pain.

Walking over to the metal trolley, she picked up the pliers, weighing them in her hand. Giving a smirk she knew without a doubt that she was going to enjoy breaking James Bond, piece by piece.


	5. The Truths We Confess

~*~

Olivia stared down at Denbigh as she continued with her personal line of questioning on Denbigh's life, ensuring that the potion had the desired effect.  
  
Satisfied with the answers she had received so far she decided to get down to the main reason she had administered the veritaserum to him in the first place.  
  
"Is James Bond still alive?" Olivia demanded.  
  
"Yes," Denbigh replied devoid of emotion.  
  
Olivia looked over at Minerva, who gave her an encouraging nod for her to continue.  
  
"Where is he?"  
  
"The Diham Metropolitana Facility in Verona."  
  
Olivia could hear Q typing away on his laptop no doubt trying to find the facility from their satellite imagery.  
  
"What did you do to Bond's tracker?"  
  
"I manipulated his tracker information as well as modifying some of the files from Q's laptop. This allowed me to temporary disable the tracker to make it appear he was dead."  
  
"Why?"  
  
"Franz Oberhauser ordered me to. No questions asked."  
  
"Ma'am, I've managed to access Denbigh's files, but the majority of them are password protected." Q informed her looking over his monitor.  
  
"What is the password for your files?"  
  
"DECEMIA."  
  
"Spell it," Olivia demanded urgently.  
  
"D-E-C-E-M-I-A."  
  
"Did you get that, Q?"  
  
"Yes, accessing his files now." He acknowledged quickly typing away on his keyboard.  
  
"What does Oberhauser want with Bond?"  
  
"Revenge. He plans to break his little brother, and he knows just the way to do it."  
  
"How?"  
  
"Oberhauser didn't say other than he has more than just SPECTRE agents involved."  
  
Olivia's eyes narrowed at the new piece of information, "Who else is involved?"  
  
"He never said, only that they would be useful in his greater plan."  
  
"Which is?"  
  
"Killing James Bond, and gaining control of government agencies around the world."  
  
"Ma'am, I've managed to re-enable Bond's tracker, and located him to an abandoned cathedral named Il Martirio, situated in Verona. Their facility must be underground. I can't find any information on the Diham Metropolitana Facility. The cathedral hasn't been used for over forty years and appears to be closed to the public. It would be a perfect place for their base."  
  
Olivia heard the nervousness in his voice, which caused her to look towards him, "What aren't you telling me, Q."  
  
"His vitals are all over the place; heart rate is dropping… shit! He's going into cardiac arrest."  
  
Olivia forgot about her line of questioning as she rushed over to Q hoping they weren't too late.  
  
"How do we get into the facility?" Minerva took a few steps until she was in front of Denbigh.  
  
"He never said."  
  
Minerva looked over at Olivia, who was now standing next to Q looking down at the laptop monitor. Her eyes held a trace of fear that they may lose him and all of this would have been for nothing.  
  
"What do you hope to gain from this, Mr Denbigh?" Minerva looked back at their prisoner seeing him give a slight smile.  
  
"Money, control of MI5, just to name a few benefits."  
  
"Heart rate is returning to normal." Q informed them.  
  
Minerva felt relief wash over her, but she knew Bond wasn't out of the woods just yet. Putting the thought of Bond to one side for the time being, she decided to continue from where she left off even though she would like nothing more than to make the sorry excuse of a human being in front of her disappear.  
  
"You would purposely put billions of innocent lives in danger just for money?"  
  
"Yes. It's all life comes down to in the end. I'm merely doing what many don't have the courage to do because they are too spineless to do what needs to be done. They prefer to negotiate terms, rather than take appropriate action."  
  
"And that appropriate action is to terrorise countries to agree to your terms, is that it? Because frankly in my eyes, you are no better than the terrorists you are trying to protect this country from!"  
  
"It's all a matter of perspective."  
  
Minerva ignored the statement and continued onto her next question, having a feeling she already knew the answer.  
  
"Is there anyone else in the British government on Oberhauser's payroll?"  
  
"Four personnel; two of them used to work for MI6."  
  
"And the other two?" Minerva questioned.  
  
"One is the special advisor to the Prime Minister and the other is the Head of MI5."  
  
"Thomas Lawson?" Olivia asked making sure she had heard him right.  
  
"Yes."  
  
"I'll contact the Prime Minister and have Lawson removed from office and arrested pending investigation," Mallory informed Olivia.  
  
"I would wait a moment Mr Mallory," Minerva stated stopping Mallory in his tracks as he was about to leave the room.  
  
"Give me the other three names?" Minerva asked Denbigh urgently.  
  
"Guy Haines, Claire Monroe and Ryan Murphy."  
  
"I'll have them detained along with Lawson. They've taken us for fools, for long enough." Malloy gave Denbigh one last look of disgust before leaving the room to contact the prime minister and make the appropriate arrangements.  
  
"Is there anything else you want to ask him, Liv before I administer the antidote?" Minerva asked her sister who was now walking back towards her with anger in her steel blue eyes.  
  
"How do we shutdown Nine Eyes?"  
  
"With my access codes, but even if its shutdown, Blofeld has backup servers scattered over the globe."  
  
"Blofeld?"  
  
"The name Oberhauser now goes by. He wanted the life of Franz Oberhauser to be erased from existence."  
  
"Where are these servers?"  
  
"He never said."  
  
"And Doctor Swann? How does she play a part in this?"  
  
Denbigh smirked, "Doctor Swann is dead. She has been for years."  
  
"What do you mean? We have information she was with Bond at L'Americain."  
  
"Yes, but it wasn't her. I don't know whom it was Blofeld hired to take her identity. But it was quite genius if I do say so myself."  
  
Olivia bestowed him a look of loathing wondering if White knew that his daughter was dead before he took his life. She highly doubted it; White was just a pawn in a bigger game that he had no control over.  
  
"I think I've heard enough. Give him the antidote, Min. He can rot with the other four agents on Blofeld's payroll."  
  
"Best news I've heard all day," Minerva muttered as she walked over to Mallory's desk and picked up the clear phial with a clear liquid inside.  
  
"Q, did you manage to record all of that," Olivia asked.  
  
"I did ma'am, but we will probably need more evidence to ensure he doesn't get an early release."  
  
"I thought as much," Olivia muttered, before turning to her ex-Chief of Staff.  
  
"Tanner, I want you to go and assist Mallory. He will probably need backup should the PM decide not to listen to what he has to say."  
  
"Of course, ma'am." Tanner readily agreed and followed after Mallory.  
  
"What do you need me to do?" Eve asked.  
  
"Once Q has accessed all of Denbigh's files, I want you to go through them with a critical eye and look for any other evidence that will help us charge; Denbigh, Lawson, Monroe, Haines and Murphy for treason. The more evidence we find, the better chance we have of making the charges stick."  
  
"Of course, ma'am. When will they be ready?"  
  
"They should be sent to your computer as of now," Q informed her with a smile.  
  
Eve turned to look at him surprised, "You know, Q. Sometimes it scares me how quick you can be with computers."  
  
"I do try, Moneypenny."  
  
Eve fondly shook her head and left to make a start on her task.  
  
Once Q was sure she was out of earshot, he looked over at Olivia.  
  
"She will probably hate me later. There are over twenty files for her to get through."  
  
"I'm sure she'll manage. How are James' vitals?"  
  
"They are still all over the place, increased heart rate; BP drops before levelling off. If I didn't know any better, it's as if he's…"  
  
"Being tortured?" Olivia finished for him. The idea brought back memories of when she discovered Le Chiffre, had tortured him in Montenegro for the password to the Treasury funds.  
  
"Yes, but what worries me is the damage that is being inflicted on him both mentally and physically. The human body can only take so much before it shuts down, ma'am. If we don't get to his location soon, we may be too late."  
  
"Yes, I'm aware of that, Q!" Olivia snapped rubbing her temples trying to soothe a headache she could feel coming on as she tried to process all the new information they had just uncovered.  
  
Minerva caught Q's eye and gave him a sympathetic look as the young quartermaster concentrated his attention back on his laptop.  
  
"Was that necessary, Liv?" Minerva whispered so only Olivia would hear as she handed Denbigh the antidote.  
  
Olivia gave her a dirty look refusing to answer her question.  
  
"Just get Denbigh to drink the damn potion! We still need to come up with a plan to get James out of that facility! Preferably today!"  
  
"And we will, but you jumping down everyone's throats isn't going to help!"  
  
Olivia gave a deep sigh hating it when Minerva was the voice of reason.  
  
"You're right and I apologise…"  
  
"I'm not the one you should be apologising too." Minerva stared over Olivia's shoulder causing the other woman to follow her gaze to see Q staring at his laptop refusing to meet her eyes.  
  
She inwardly cursed herself for her behaviour. The younger man was only trying to help and here she was snapping at him as if he had done something wrong.  
  
"I apologise, Q. That was uncalled for."  
  
"You don't have to apologise, ma'am." Q stared at her over the monitor. "You're worried about 007. We all are, I would be more surprised if you didn't snap at me, to be honest."  
  
Olivia raised an eyebrow in amusement at his response. He had come far from the awkward, and timid quartermaster she had employed all those months ago, before the mess with Silva. He now reminded her of his late uncle, and she couldn't be prouder of him.  
  
"I don't know whether to take that as a compliment or an insult."  
  
"Compliment ma'am. It hasn't been the same around here since your death, so it's nice to have some normality back, even if it will only be for a short amount of time." Q gave her a sad smile and continued with his task.  
  
Olivia looked around her office or rather Gareth's office. It was no longer hers. Hell, the office wasn't even the same building.  
  
Her building was desolate and waiting to be demolished into concrete and rubble. She didn't have a place here anymore; her tenure was over and her legacy was someone else's legacy now. She just prayed Gareth didn't fuck it up years down the line. Although It was highly doubtful, he would.  
  
From their little talk earlier, it seemed he wanted things to go back to the way they were as much as she did. She would help Gareth deal with the Prime Minister to reinstate the Double-0 programme and bring an end to the MI5 and MI6 merger. But after that had been dealt with, she was done. The future of SIS would be in Gareth's hands now and although a part of her would miss being in charge, the other part of her was thankful that her tenure was now over.  
  
James was her future now; that was if he still wanted anything to do with her since it was only Mallory who knew she was still alive. She had wanted to tell James that she had survived, and wished he were with her during her recovery, but MI6 needed him more.  
  
"Liv, what are we doing with Denbigh?"  
  
Olivia looked down at the man who was trying to lunge at her but didn't get far thanks to the rope that bound him to the chair.  
  
"When will you two realise I won't tell you anything?"  
  
"I hate to be the one to tell you this, Mr Denbigh, but you have just told us everything we wanted to know about Oberhauser or should I say Blofeld. We have found where he is keeping James thanks to you informing us of how to access his tracker information that you so kindly disabled."  
  
Olivia saw Denbigh's face pale and couldn't stop the feeling of satisfaction she felt as she rendered the man speechless.  
  
"This is some trick…"  
  
"The password of your protected files was, DECEMIA. Now, how could we have known that if you didn't tell us?"  
  
"What did you do to me?" Denbigh demanded.  
  
Minerva held up the empty black phial, "we simply gave you a truth potion, which you so kindly drank of your own accord."  
  
"When Lawson hears about this…"  
  
"Luckily for is he won't, considering he is currently being arrested for terrorism and treason. He has you to thank for that; I wonder how he would react knowing you were the one that sold him out. Oh, and let's not forget about Guy Haines, Claire Monroe and Ryan Murphy."  
  
"You have no proof, not if you want to keep your little secret of being freaks."  
  
Minerva gave Denbigh a disapproving look, "The term you are looking for; Mr Denbigh is witches, but what I want to know is what happened in your life for you to become the man you are today? You could have made something of your profession and used it for something good, yet you would throw all that away for power and money. You are a pathetic excuse for a human being, and if you were a wizard, I would make sure you were thrown in Azkaban before you knew what was happening," Minerva informed him calmly.  
  
"As for proof. Q, recorded your full confession. Especially, how you murdered his uncle to make it look like he suffered a heart attack. So, we can add, terrorism, treason and murder to your ever growing list of offences," Olivia continued, "as well as poor taste in friends."  
  
Denbigh knew it was all over. He had sold Blofeld out along with four of Blofeld's best agents. If the two freaks didn't kill him, then Blofeld would do it for them. He had nowhere to run, and no one to turn to, not anymore.  
  
"Are you sure you don't want to accept Mallory's earlier offer of protection? Because I'm quite sure that you are going to have four, if not five people try to kill you for your deceit. The choice is yours. What's it to be?"  
  
Denbigh looked her straight in the eye, not willing to admit defeat especially to the ex-head of SIS.  
  
"I'll take my chances, rather than ask for protection from a freak and a bean counter." Denbigh smirked at seeing Olivia's tense posture, "That's right, Blofeld knows all about your life in Hong Kong. Not the clean cut ex-boss you make out to be are you, _Liv_." He drew out her name, seeing the smile disappear from her face.  
  
"If you're talking about how she sold Tiago to the Chinese for six agents, then I'm sad to say its common knowledge by now." Minerva told him in a stern voice, gripping her wand tighter.  
  
"But did she tell you about her little affair with dear Tiago that went on for months, before she finally gave him up to the Chinese without so much as a second thought."  
  
Minerva looked at Olivia hoping that Denbigh was lying.  
  
"Is this true?" Minerva demanded.  
  
When Olivia refused to meet her eyes, she knew it was, "Why didn't you tell me?"  
  
"She always lies, isn't that what working for the government does to you, Liv? You've even being lying to your sister." Denbigh mocked. "Tut tut, I thought sisters were supposed to tell each other everything."  
  
"Shut Up!" Minerva snapped. "I want to hear it from you, Liv. Did you have a relationship with Tiago Rodriquez other than that of boss and agent?"  
  
"Yes I did, but it's not for the reason you think."  
  
"What other reason could there be?"  
  
Olivia finally looked at Minerva seeing the disappointed and hurt look on her face that she hadn't told her everything about her time in Hong Kong. She had wanted to, but she didn't think it was significant as she was just doing her job, yet Denbigh was twisting the scenario to make it seem like something more.  
  
"Now isn't the time…"  
  
"Then make time!"  
  
"Yes, Liv. Why don't you inform us all of what happened?" Denbigh taunted with a smirk.  
  
Minerva cast a stunning spell knocking the man unconscious having heard enough from him.  
  
"We needed him awake…"  
  
"And I will revive him, once you tell me, what happened between you and Tiago in Hong Kong."  
  
"And I'll tell you, but I'm not doing it here." Olivia hissed, as she looked over at Q who was poorly attempting to mind his own business.  
  
"Very well." Minerva bit out and looked over her shoulder towards Q.  
  
"Inform the others we'll be back in fifteen minutes. I need to have a chat with your ex-boss here about some trust issues."  
  
"Of course, ma'am." Q quickly replied not fully meeting Minerva's gaze. "What about Denbigh?"  
  
"I'll revive him once I get back. Besides, It wouldn't be fair if you have to listen to that dunderhead." She scowled at the unconscious man, before looking back at Olivia.  
  
"You, on the other hand, are coming with me." Minerva grabbed her sister's arm.  
  
"Where the hell are we going?" Olivia demanded while trying to pull her arm from Minerva's grasp.  
  
"You're house, and for us to get there, you need to stop struggling." Minerva snapped.  
  
Olivia could feel her annoyance at Minerva's actions. She was the ex-head of MI6 not one of her damn students.  
  
"Fine, but make it quick. I still have a job to do."  
  
Minerva gave a scoff at that remark, "What job? You have no job! You gave that up the moment you decided to play dead!"  
  
That was a low blow even for her; Olivia thought trying to hide the hurt she felt at Minerva's words. She may no longer be the Head of SIS, but that job was everything she had. Now, she had nothing.  
  
"And it's _'we'_ not _'I'_ Liv. The sooner you realise that, the better."  
  
"Stop treating me as if I'm one of your damn students." Olivia finally snapped at Minerva's behaviour.  
  
Minerva ignored her and merely turned on the spot and the two of them disappeared with a pop.

/*\\*/*\

When they arrived at their destination, Olivia pulled her arm free of Minerva's hold, walked over to the couch and took a seat, while Minerva remained standing with her arms crossed over her chest.  
  
"Start talking!"  
  
"What do you want me to say?"  
  
"An explanation as to why you and Tiago had a relationship would be a good start! What on earth possessed you to sleep with one of your employees!?"  
  
"I was doing my job!"  
  
"Lying on your back for some terrorist! Yes, I can see you doing your job! You weren't an agent! You were a computer analyst and strategist for Christ sake!"  
  
"What? You think because I sat behind a desk all I did was file reports and complete paperwork day in and out!"  
  
"Well, obviously not if Denbigh's comment was anything to go by! I expected better of you out of all people! I thought you would display some kind of judgement! You have told James that often enough!"  
  
"Yes, and it's obvious that you believe what Denbigh had just told you!"  
  
"I only want to know the facts from you! Why did you do it?"  
  
"I was following orders from M, all right! You seem to forget that just because I was Head at Station H in Hong Kong, It was still Sir Miles who gave me my direct orders!"  
  
"What?"  
  
"You heard me! When I informed Sir Miles about Tiago's behaviour, he ordered me to get close to him and gather information that would provide us with proof that he was conducting unsanctioned operations!"  
  
Olivia felt all fight leave her, not wanting to bring up the mess with Tiago again when she thought he was gone from her life for good.  
  
"I found the information we needed and reported it to M, and MI6 arrested him for treason and terrorist activities. It wasn't until three years later that I heard of the capture of six British agents being held prisoner by the Chinese government. So, I made them a deal and sold Tiago in exchange for the release of the agents. After I had forwarded all the information I had obtained about him hacking into the Chinese government, they were more than willing to agree to the terms."  
  
She focused on the coffee table in front of her, not overly proud of her past actions, but she didn't regret them either.  
  
"So, to answer your question, yes, I slept with him, but I was just doing my damn job!"  
  
"How many times?"  
  
"What?" Olivia looked up at her confused.  
  
"How many times did you sleep with him?"  
  
"I don't know! Tiago was possessive, Min…"  
  
"What did he do?" Minerva's voice softened as she took a seat next to Olivia on the couch.  
  
"Nothing I didn't consent to and nothing I couldn't handle." Olivia muttered before continuing. "Tiago liked it rough. I don't know how many times, I left his apartment with bruises, bites and scratches covering my neck and body." Olivia met Minerva's gaze.

"What you have to understand about Tiago, Min. Is that once he had me in his bed, he wouldn't let me out of his sight."

She looked away, remembering all too well how he would attach himself to her as if he were a parasite.  
  
"Liv, talk to me." Minerva softly urged, watching she stared at the wall in front of her lost in thought.  
  
"He was possessive. Almost animalistic during sex. He didn't know self-restraint. I doubt he even knew what love was or what it even meant." Olivia bitterly whispered.  
  
She felt her stomach tie itself in knots as if she could still feel his hands all over her once again. Those hands that pinned her to the bed before he leant down to whisper 'mummy' into her ear. It made her feel repulsed, but she had her orders, even if it was at the expense of her safety and sanity.  
  
"I think- it was three months before I managed to get all the information I needed to have him arrested."  
  
Minerva didn't know what to make of everything she had just been told.  
  
The idea of Olivia having to go through all of that for three months made her sick to the stomach.  
  
"Why didn't M appoint an agent to seduce Tiago? Surely that would have been a better option."  
  
"When Tiago first started working at Station H, he would always find an excuse to be near me. I even caught him waiting outside my home at one point. So I reported the incident to Sir Miles, and he informed me to report back if Tiago continued with his stalkerish behaviour. Then when I suspected him of hacking the Chinese government M ordered me to seduce him since Tiago already seemed to have an infatuation with me."  
  
"Why didn't you use your magic? Surely it would have helped…"  
  
"I couldn't risk it! Even though he had been reprimanded, it still felt like he was watching my every move. When he was arrested, I thought that would have been the end of it."  
  
"Until he escaped and came after you for revenge?" Minerva questioned.  
  
Olivia gave a nod, "He had me in that chapel, Min. Holding me in a lovers embrace, with a gun to my head, wanting me to pull the trigger, and end our lives with one bullet."  
  
She unconsciously rubbed her hip where the stray bullet had pierced her skin and embedded itself into her. The pain was unbearable, and Tiago's hold on her didn't help the wound any. She had never been as glad to see James than in that moment.  
  
"So, that was why I slept with him. Not for the reason Denbigh tried to insinuate, but because I was ordered to. Just like I was ordered by Dumbledore to work undercover at MI6. I had no choice."  
  
"I had hoped if Dumbledore placed you at a desk position, then you would have been safe from all of that. I guess I was wrong."  
  
"Technically I was, it was just this one time that it happened." Olivia gave her a small smile, "Besides, it was a good thing you did because it turns out, my aim with a gun isn't as good as my aim with a wand. If Dumbledore put me undercover as an agent, chances are Sir Miles wouldn't have given me field clearance for two reasons; one, because I would be a liability not only to myself but other agents in the field and two, I was getting too old for all the agent drama."  
  
When Minerva didn't say anything, she continued hoping she would, at least, understand on some level the sacrifices she had to make when doing her job.  
  
"That one time with Tiago was enough and it made me understand the Double-0 agents more on a personal level when I took over as Head of SIS. It was one of the reasons why I tried to protect them as much as I could from the likes of the minister and the committee. They will never understand or have to face the situations that my agents had to deal with on a daily basis to protect this country."  
  
While Minerva tried to process everything, she could just picture Olivia with a gun, trying to shoot a target only to miss causing her to shoot someone else. She just hoped she wasn't in the vicinity should Olivia ever require to handle a gun again. She may me getting old, but she still had a few years left in her, without Olivia killing her with a stray bullet.  
  
"I'm glad in that respect, but why didn't you tell me sooner about the incident? I could have helped…"  
  
"You had your own troubles to be getting along with. You were needed at Hogwarts, not half way around the world."  
  
"You should have confided in me." Minerva reasoned hating the thought that she couldn't give her support during that time. Which led her to her next question, having a feeling she already knew the answer.  
  
"Does James know?"  
  
Olivia shook her head, "No, but I think he suspected there was more history between myself and Tiago than what I initially told him. If he knew…"  
  
"Then Tiago would probably have gotten more than a knife in the back," Minerva muttered.  
  
"Which is why you can never tell him, Min, promise me," Olivia demanded."  
  
"Tiago's dead, Liv."  
  
"I know, but James will never let it go, which is why I need you to promise me that you won't tell him."  
  
Minerva gave a resigned sigh, wishing she would confide in James at some point about what had occurred between Olivia and Tiago in Hong Kong, but she would respect her wishes on the matter.  
  
"I promise. Minerva agreed only to hear Olivia give a sigh of relief.  
  
"Although, since we are here, is there anything else you would like to tell me?"  
  
"No, I think that about covers everything." Olivia stood up, and looked down at Minerva, "Now, we had best head back. I want James home tonight and we won't be able to do that sitting around here."  
  
"Very well." Minerva stood next to Olivia, "But if I find out you have been keeping anything else from me, Merlin won't even be able to help you, Liv."  
  
"I should hope not. Unless, he managed to resurrect himself somehow."  
  
"I see you still haven't lost that sarcasm of yours." Minerva felt her lip twitch as she held out her arm for Olivia.  
  
"Who said it was sarcasm? I'm merely stating the truth." Olivia replied placing a hand on Minerva's outstretched arm.  
  
"When do you not?" Minerva muttered under her breath.  
  
"Thank you," Olivia whispered. "For everything."  
  
Minerva didn't need her to elaborate. She was just glad Olivia had finally confided in her.  
  
"Anytime, Liv." she replied, "anytime."  
  
With another pop, the two of them returned to Mallory's office only to be greeted with solemn faces of Tanner, Moneypenny and Q.  
  
Olivia thought she felt her heart stop, as they looked over in her general direction with a look of regret.  
  
"What's happened?" Olivia demanded.  
  
"Ma'am…" Tanner started only to be cut off by Mallory entering the room.  
  
"For goodness sake! Will someone just tell me what the hell is going on!"  
  
"You had best take a seat, Olivia," Mallory told her softly.  
  
"Cut the pleasantries and just tell me already!"  
  
Olivia felt Minerva tense next to her, wondering what had happened in the short space of time since they had left the office.  
  
"It's to do with James isn't it?" Minerva inquired trying to keep her voice steady.  
  
Mallory looked over at the three people behind him, who had bowed their heads unable to look Olivia in the eye.  
  
"A few minutes before you arrived, James went into cardiac arrest. I'm sorry Olivia, but he didn't make it."  
  
"No! He can't be; there has to be a mistake!"  
  
"Liv…"  
  
"Don't, Min! Just don't!" Her voiced cracked as she left Mallory's office never looking back.  
  
Minerva saw Mallory about to follow after Olivia and placed her hand on his arm to stop him.  
  
"Give her some time."  
  
Mallory merely nodded, "I wish it weren't the case."  
  
"We all do. Is there any chance that the tracker information could be wrong?"  
  
"No," Q told her sadly.  
  
"I thought as much." Minerva looked at the doorway where Olivia had left a few minutes prior hoping she wouldn't do anything reckless.

/*\\*/*\

Once Olivia had reached the deserted hallway, she finally let her tears fall, as she sank to the ground.  
  
She was too late to save him.  
  
Feeling her heartbreak, she looked at the ring on her finger through her tear filled eyes.

He had died not knowing she had survived. It was ironic. It seemed fate and death were determined to keep them apart and they had succeeded.  
  
She didn't want to believe it. She refused to believe it, but the truth of Mallory's words were all too real. Her James was now dead and it was her fault. She had been too late to save him, and now she had to live with the consequences.  
  
Taking a deep breath, she wiped the tears from her eyes, and shakily stood up determined to take care of Blofeld herself.  
  
He had taken James from her, and that she could not condone.  
  
Taking out her phone, she quickly searched for the cathedral Q had mentioned earlier and made a mental note of the image.  
  
Walking over to Moneypenny's desk, she tossed her phone in the metal bin so Q wouldn't be able to track her.  
  
"I'm sorry, Min." She whispered, looking towards the doorway of Mallory's office before she disappeared with a pop.  
  
Feeling the warm sun on her skin, she turned and looked up at the crumbling cathedral that held James. She had waited long enough. It was time to bring him home.  
  
Pulling out her wand, she walked towards the metal gate that was surrounding the perimeter, determined to end this once and for all. As of now, she had nothing to lose. Blofeld and his organisation had killed James, and for that, they would pay with their lives. She would personally be making sure of it. No one in his organisation would be making it out alive.


	6. More Than Meets The Eye

* * *

Minerva looked over at the three men seeing the devastation on their faces at the recent turn of events. He couldn’t be dead. This was James Bond. He was indestructible, or so he led everyone to believe that he was, but in the end, it seemed he was just as human as everyone else. She could only imagine what Olivia must be feeling in this moment and time. It seemed she had gotten her sister back only to lose someone who was like a son to her all on the same day. Life was unfair. She hadn’t felt this way in years. She thought that after Voldemort had been taken care of that she wouldn’t have to lose anyone else anytime soon. Now, she could have mentally slapped herself for ever thinking such a stupid thought. Despite the news, she knew that Olivia would want to retrieve his body. It would be a suicide mission, but she was determined to help her anyway she could in order to bring James home.  
  
Turning her attention away from Mallory, Q, and Tanner, she looked down at Denbigh who was still unconscious. It was in part his fault that they had lost James. The thought of just killing him was appealing, but she knew deep down that it wouldn’t bring James back. It would allow instead the man to be free from his actions and that was something that she didn’t want to happen. Minerva hoped Eve would find enough evidence to nail him for terrorism and the deaths of all those innocent lives lost in the attacks as well as being an accomplice into causing the death of a Double-0 agent.  
  
“What do we do now, Sir?” Tanner asked breaking the tense atmosphere as he looked over at Mallory hoping he would know what to do.  
  
Mallory was just about to answer when his office door opened causing the four occupants to look over to see Moneypenny standing in the doorway with an excited look on her face before it disappeared when she realised something was wrong.  
  
“What’s happened?” she said her tone soft, already fearing the worst as she looked around the room, noticing that Olivia was missing.  
  
“It’s James. He didn’t make it.” Minerva told the younger woman.  
  
“Are you sure?” Eve asked them in disbelief, seeing Q gentle nod that it was indeed true, she sank herself down into the nearest chair and tried to hold back the tears she could feel building in her eyes.  
  
“And Olivia? Where is she?”  
  
“She needed some time to herself, Miss Moneypenny. The news is difficult for all of us to process, but Olivia”… Minerva hesitated, “I know this will hit her the hardest, and she will no doubt be blaming herself.”  
  
“Perhaps, we should try and talk to her…”  
  
“And we will. But I’ve known Olivia for years, Miss Moneypenny. It’s best to give her some time to try and process everything that has happened.”  
  
Eve gave a nod in agreement, knowing that Olivia was a private person and she wouldn’t want anyone to see her break.  
  
“What have you found, Eve?” Mallory asked when he noticed the sheets of A4 paper in her hand.  
  
“Oh, it’s information I found when going through Denbigh’s files that may help us in getting him prosecuted. It seems that Denbigh has been emailing Franz Oberhauser back and forth for quite some time. The various emails detail of how they would attack certain cities, to try and convince governments to join in on the intelligence network. One of the emails was sent after the conference in Tokyo when South Africa voted against Nine Eyes.”  
  
“Which resulted in the attack on Cape Town.” Q filled in remembering seeing the news coverage on the TV in his hotel room in Austria.  
  
“Precisely. There have also been large deposits of cash into Denbigh’s account from an unknown offshore account. I did some digging and found that the offshore account was based in Rome.”  
  
“That isn’t a coincidence,” Mallory muttered.  
  
“No.” Eve agreed. “I have also uncovered information that shows Denbigh, Lawson, Haines, and Monroe passing off top secret government information to an unknown email address. As well as digging up their call history only to find that they have been calling and receiving calls from an untraceable number.”  
  
“I think we have enough information along with Denbigh’s confession to make the charges against them stick,”  Mallory said softly. “Good work, Eve.”  
  
“Thank you, Sir. There is also something else I think you should know.”  
  
“And what is that?”  
  
“Denbigh told us that Madeleine Swann had been dead for quite sometime, even though we have information that she was with James at L’Americain, which made me curious, so I did some digging of my own. ”  
  
“How is that even possible?” Tanner asked her confused.  
  
“I thought the same, then it occurred to me. Denbigh said that Blofeld had someone take her identity. How would he have been able to do that?  
  
“Plastic surgery?” Q stated. “It has been known that people change how they look all the time.  
  
“Yes, I thought of that as well. But I managed to access some CCTV footage from L’Americain before Bond disappeared and I found something that seemed strange.”  
  
“How strange?” Tanner asked with a raised eyebrow.  
  
 “You’ll see. Q can you bring up the footage? I’ve already sent it to you.”  
  
The young quartermaster quickly typed away on his keyboard and brought up the footage on the screen behind Mallory’s desk, causing the ship painting to disappear.  
  
The five of them looked up at the screen, as the footage that showed James and Doctor Swann arriving at the hotel. They watched as James looked around the reception area while Madeleine went to speak with the woman behind the reception desk.  
  
“What are we supposed to be looking for?” Minerva questioned never taking her eyes off the screen.  
  
“Just watch. It happens right about here.”  
  
Madeleine walked back over to James and gave him a key before she telling him something. They watched as James walked away, and it was then that they saw the woman behind the desk started to change.  
  
Minerva took a few steps closer to the screen, her eyes narrowed. As she looked to the young Doctor she saw her holding something in her hand. She had seen that item more than once throughout her years.    
  
“What is it, Minerva?”  
  
Minerva didn’t answer Mallory, instead, she could feel a cold dread in the pit of her stomach as she watched the man walk towards the doctor with a sinister smile, but the woman didn’t show any fear if anything she looked amused.  
  
For a brief moment, she saw Doctor Swann’s features morph into another woman’s and felt the blood drain from her face.  
  
The two of them looked up as the woman pointed her wand at the camera causing the camera to go offline.  
  
Q, Tanner, and Mallory were speechless at what they had witnessed, whereas Eve looked over at Minerva who seemed to be ready to collapse.  
  
“Minerva, are you all right?” Eve asked walking towards her.  
  
“No, I’m not.”  
  
“Do you know who they are?”  
  
"I more than know, Miss Moneypenny. Those two are wanted by the ministry. They were apart of Voldemort's inner circle of followers known as death eaters. After the battle, they disappeared off the radar. The man is called Travers and the woman is Emeline Zaras, a metamorphmagus. She can change her appearance to look like anyone she comes into contact with."  
  
“This complicates matters,” Mallory stated the obvious. “Why would they be working for Blofeld?”  
  
Minerva looked away from the screen and took a seat on one of the empty chairs feeling her age. It was a topic she hoped to avoid, remembering the last time she had dealings with them.  
  
“I’m not too sure, Mr Mallory. It would not be in their nature to take orders from someone beneath them and to my knowledge, Oberhauser or rather Blofeld is a muggle. He never attended Hogwarts and even if he had some magical ability, the ministry would have a record of it. Every witch or wizard who does or is capable of accidental magic gets recorded and their name is put on a list of potential candidates for the school.”  
  
Q was about to reply when a beep reached his ears. Looking at the monitor, he brought up Bond’s vital signs, his eyes widening in disbelief. “Resurrection really is your hobby,” he muttered under his breath.  
  
“What?” Minerva asked hearing Q’s statement thanks to her cat animagus hearing as she looked at the monitor.  
  
“Well, I’ll be damned,” she whispered with a faint smile, “You really are full of surprises, James.”  
  
She felt some relief wash over, and a sense of hope that James may yet still get out of this ordeal alive.  
  
“It seems, Bond hasn’t given up after all.” Minerva looked over at Mallory, Tanner, and Moneypenny.  
  
“You mean he’s alive?” Eve dared to hope.  
  
“Yes, but only just, we need to get him out of there who knows how long he has left.” Q informed them, trying not to get his own hopes up.  
  
“How are we going to get him out of there, though? We don’t have the manpower to fight against a witch and a wizard, let alone how many men Blofeld has in that facility.”  
  
Minerva gave a small smile, “Leave that to me. I know someone in the ministry of magic who would be more than willing to help us once I inform them we have found Travers and Zaras.”  
  
“What about Olivia?” Mallory looked at Minerva,  “She’ll need to be updated.”  
  
Minerva mentally slapped herself, “I’ll tell her, once I get back from the ministry. I hope you won’t mind a few more visitors in your office, Mallory?”  
  
“It’s fine, just try to be quick.”  
  
“I will, you may want to take Denbigh into custody, I don’t think we will needing his help any longer,” Minerva stated turning to the unconscious man and quickly cast the rennervate charm.  
  
“I won’t be long.” she told them in satisfaction before she was gone with a pop.  
  
Hearing the groan coming from the chair,  Mallory walked over to Denbigh, with Tanner following behind in case the man tried to escape.  
  
Tanner watched as Mallory untied him from the chair, then pulled him to his feet none too gently causing the man to stumble.  before tried to lash out.  
  
Grabbing his arm, he turned Denbigh around and held his arm behind his back in a vice grip causing the man to wince in pain.  
  
“I wouldn’t try anything if I were you. Now walk.” Mallory pushed him forward, keeping a hold of his arm.  
  
“Tanner, you will come with me. Q, I need you to try and shut down Nine Eyes and find the rest of those backup servers, the sooner the better. Eve you will wait for Minerva to return from the ministry with her guests. If Olivia comes back fill her in, but make sure she doesn’t leave by any means necessary.”  
  
“Yes sir,” Moneypenny gave him a nod as he and Tanner left the office.  
  
Once they had left, Eve walked over and stood next to Q, looking at the screen their eyes never leaving James’ vital signs.

/*\\*/*\

 **Entrance to the Ministry of Magic, London**  
  
Minerva appeared in a side alley in the center of London, hearing the small crowd of people ahead. Fixing her clothes, she walked out of the alley and turned left, seeing the red phone booth in front of her. Opening the door, she entered, and picked up the receiver and quickly dialled 6-2-4-4-2.  
  
When she heard the voice answer, she gave her name and the reason for her visit, before replacing the receiver as a badge slid out into the returned coin tray. Picking it up, she felt the booth start to travel downwards, before she saw the atrium to the ministry.  
  
Once the booth had came to a stop, she quickly got out and headed in the direction towards the Department of Magical Law Enforcement. She didn’t get far when a familiar voice called out to her.  
  
“Professor McGonagall?”  
  
Turning around she saw the man she had come to see. He hadn’t changed much over the years, his jet black hair was still as untameable as it had been when he was a young boy, and his green eyes showed a happiness that he had been denied in his childhood.  
  
“Mr Potter, I trust you and your family are well?”  
  
“Everyone is doing well, professor. I heard about Olivia. I’m sorry for your loss.”  
  
Minerva gave the boy, no man she corrected herself a small smile. “I appreciate that, Mr Potter, but I just found out today that Olivia is alive.”  
  
“I don’t understand…”  
  
“It’s part of the reason why I have come here today Mr Potter. I require your assistance. Is there somewhere else we can talk that is more private?”  
  
“Of course, professor we can go to my office.”  
  
The two of them walked along the corridor in a comfortable silence, before they took one of the elevators that would take them to the correct department. It didn’t take them long, before they had arrived at Harry’s office and he allowed her to enter, before closing the door behind him.  
  
“Now, what is it you need to speak to me about?”  He motioned for Minerva to take a seat in one of the chairs in front of his desk, before taking his own seat behind his desk.  
  
“Myself and Olivia’s colleagues believe we have found the whereabouts of Travers and Zaras.”  
  
“Where?” Potter asked urgently.  
  
“We believe they are located at The Diham Metropolitana Facility in Verona. They have changed their allegiance and are working for a man called Franz Oberhauser, who is responsible for many terrorist attacks around the world and is also the person responsible for nearly killing Olivia. What I don’t understand is why two death eaters would be in allegiance with a muggle of all people?”  
  
“That’s a good question, and hopefully it’s one that will come to light once we apprehend them, but I have a feeling there is something you aren’t telling me.”  
  
“He has Olivia’s fiance captive in the facility and someone whom I regard as a son. MI6 agents are no match against two wizards Mr Potter. I need your help.”  
  
“Do you have any plans or layouts for this facility?”  
  
“I think Q, may be able to tell you more once we arrive at Mallory’s office in Whitehall.”  
  
“All right, and what is Bond’s relationship to Oberhauser?”  
  
Minerva quickly told him about how Hannes Oberhauser more or less adopted Bond after his parents death and considered him a second son, before quickly detailing how Franz became jealous that his father seemed to prefer James over his own son.  
  
“That doesn’t explain why Travers and Zaras would have a part in Oberhauser’s revenge against Bond?” Harry stated, “unless, they plan to lure you and Olivia into a trap and Bond is merely the bait.”  
  
Minerva’s face paled, recalling how she and Olivia had nearly had taken care of Travers before Bellatrix interfered causing the man to escape heavily injured thanks to their combined spells during the battle of Hogwarts. It also meant that Oberhauser knew that Olivia was alive, if Denbigh had spoke with him before she and Olivia went to visit him earlier today about Bond’s disappearance.  
  
“Are you all right, professor?”  
  
Minerva came out of her thoughts to see Harry looking at her in worry.  
  
“I’m fine Mr Potter. If that is the case, then it’s imperative that we apprehend Travers and Zaras before that happens. I can’t lose her again. Or James for the matter.”  
  
“And we will. Give me thirty minutes to get everything ready, then we will try and come up with a plan at Whitehall.” Harry told her standing up ready to take care of the last remaining death eaters that had given them the slip for the past seventeen years.  
  
“Thank you, Mr Potter,” Minerva told him in gratitude.  
  
“No thanks are needed professor. It’s my job and you and Olivia were willing to give your lives to ensure i succeeded in destroying Voldemort, the least i can do is return the favour to ensure that Zaras and Travers are brought to justice before they harm Olivia, James or anyone else. Oberhauser will need to be put on trial by muggle authorities, but that doesn’t mean we can’t capture him.”  
  
Minerva gave Harry nod in acknowledgment.  
  
“I won’t be long, professor.”  
  
Minerva heard the door close behind him, as she was left alone in his office her thoughts overcome with what would be waiting for them in Verona.

/*\\*/*\

 **Diham Metropolitana Facility - Verona, Italy**  
  
Blofeld hurried down the corridors to the detention center where they were keeping Bond, his face set in anger at having been told that Bond wasn’t responding to CPR. Upon entering the room, he saw the tortured naked form of James Bond on the ground as Emeline tried to resuscitate him with her magic.  
  
“I told you we needed him alive!”  
  
Emeline didn’t look up Bond’s body, as her face continued to show determination while Bond’s body jerked on the ground at the spell she was using trying to get his heart to beat again.  
  
“You can blame that fool in the far right corner!”  
  
He looked over to see one of his guard's twisted body slumped in the corner unmoving. It was clear to anyone who saw it that the man was dead.  
  
“Can you save him?” Blofeld demanded.  
  
“I’m trying!” she snapped in frustration.  
  
“Well try harder!”  
  
As he started to pace, he looked over at the metal tray next to the dentist chair to see the instruments covered in dry blood, before continuing to walk round to the waterboard that was sitting off to the left, along with a bucket of water that had spilled all over the floor.  
  
“How did it happen?”  
  
“Your man over there got a little too happy with drowning Bond in water, even when I ordered for him to stop!”  
  
Blofeld gave one last look at torture device, before walking over to Emeline. There still appeared to be no apparent change in his condition, which caused him to become frustrated that all his work had been for nothing.  
  
He looked up when he heard a set of footsteps coming closer. Looking up he saw Travers in the doorway looking at the scene in front of him.  
  
“What is it, Travers? It had better be important!” Blofeld told him in warning.  
  
“It seems Olivia has arrived much earlier than we anticipated, she is making her way into the facility as we speak.”  
  
“That means she has already gotten the information from Denbigh and has managed to put Bond’s tracker back online. She knows he’s dead, so she has nothing to lose by coming here.” Blofeld said mostly to himself but Travers still heard him.    
  
“Is she alone?”  
  
“Yes.” Travers replied “There is no one else in the vicinity. Only her.”  
  
“Good, then…”  
  
The sound of coughing caused the two men to look at the ground as Emeline roughly rolled Bond onto his side as his body was overcome with harsh coughs.  
  
“It seems that my original plan may still work after all.” Blofeld gave a smirk. “Leave him, Emeline and go with Travers. I need you both to put James’ hospital bed back into the adjacent room and lead Olivia to her lost agent.”  
  
“What are you going to do?” Emeline asked changing her features to a young brunette.  
  
“Observe from the shadows,” Blofeld stated simply.  
  
The two of them gave him a nod before leaving him alone with Bond. As the door closed behind them, he looked down at his broken brother one last time, before disappearing into the shadows ready for the grand finale.

/*\\*/*\

 **Head Auror's Office, Ministry of Magic, London**  
  
Minerva paced Harry’s office waiting for the younger man to return. She couldn’t help but think that with each minute that passed, that James’ time was running out. It made her wonder if Olivia had been informed of James’ resurrection by her ex-colleagues.    
  
Giving a sigh in frustration, she was ready to go and look for Harry when he re-entered his office with eight other people following behind him.  
  
“What’s the meaning of this, Mr Potter?”  
  
“You said you wanted help, Professor. That’s what I’ve done.”  
  
Minerva took in all the familiar faces, not knowing what to feel at what Harry had done. Yes, she wanted help, but she didn’t expect him to involve, Hermione, Ron, Luna, Neville, Ginny, Kingsley Shacklebolt, or George Weasley.  
  
“I can’t ask you to put your lives on the line again…”  
  
“Harry thought that you would feel comfortable with people you could trust, Minerva. Everyone present is here on their own accord.” Kingsley told her.  
  
“What about your children?” Minerva looked at her former students.    
  
“They are being looked after, professor, and Kingsley is right. We offered to help once Harry contacted us.” Hermione tried to reassure her.  
  
“I’m not going to win this argument am I?”  
  
“For once, professor, no you aren’t,” Ron told her with a smile.  
  
“I thought not. Very well. We had best return to Whitehall, the sooner we rescue James and arrest Zaras and Travers the better.”  
  
“Agreed.” Harry voiced placing a silver plate on his desk. “Everybody ready?”  
  
Everyone gave a nod and reached out to touch the plate when they felt a tug at their naval and Harry’s office disappeared before reappearing back in Mallory’s office.  
  
Minerva removed her finger from the portkey and turned to see Eve walking towards them, but there still seemed to be no sign of Olivia.  
  
“Miss Moneypenny, has Olivia returned?”  
  
“No, Tanner and Mallory are currently looking for her. I’m sure she’s fine, though.” Eve tried to reassure her.  
  
Minerva didn’t share the same sentiment.  
  
“I see you managed to bring some help,” Eve smiled looking at their new visitors.  
  
Minerva moved to the side allowing everyone to introduce themselves, while she watched from the sidelines with a faint smile. She was in part glad that Harry had decided to ask her past students to help her, but there was also a feeling of guilt and fear that they could be injured or worse. They may be adults, but she still felt responsible for them on some level.  
  
“Are you all right?”  
  
Minerva looked away from the group to see Eve standing next to her.  
  
“I’m fine. How long have Mallory and Tanner been gone?”  
  
“Ten minutes.”  
  
“I see.”  
  
“There is something else. Myself and Q were trying to think of a reason as to why those two death eaters would be working with Oberhauser if you said they were against muggles.”  
  
“Where are you going with this Eve?”  
  
“It’s just something Q said.”  
  
“And what did Q say exactly?” Minerva asked her eyes narrowed.  
  
Eve was about to answer her when Tanner and Mallory entered the room, but she noticed there was no sign of Olivia.  
  
Minerva turned to look at the two men standing in the doorway,  “Well, did you find her?” She asked having a feeling she already knew the answer to her own question.  
  
“She isn’t in the building and no one has seen her,” Tanner informed them with a hint of worry.  
  
“Q, see if you can find a trace her mobile,” Mallory ordered.  
  
“Sir.” Q walked over to his laptop and tapped quickly on his keyboard. A few seconds later, he found her signal.  
  
“It seems she is still in the building, near Moneypenny’s desk to be precise.” Q told them.  
  
Tanner hurried out the room the others watching him go. Minerva made to follow, but a hand on her arm stopped her. Turning to see who it was, she realised it was Eve.  
  
“She’ll be fine.”  
  
Minerva heard the uncertainty in the younger woman’s voice which did nothing to stop her fears.  
  
“You were saying that Q had said something to you, what was it?”  
  
Minerva saw Eve’s face pale as her attention was focused elsewhere. Following her gaze, she saw Tanner had returned with Olivia’s mobile in his hand.  
  
“This isn’t good.” Hermione broke the silence.  
  
Minerva pulled out her wand not wanting to believe that Olivia would have done something so foolish.  
  
“Reperio Olivia,” Minerva muttered feeling a  deep itch spread through her hand down to her wrist.  
  
The occupants in the room watched as Minerva’s wand continued to spin but not showing them Olivia’s location.  
  
Ending the spell, she tried again, only to have the same result.  
  
“What does that mean?” Eve asked not liking where this was going.  
  
“It means she has gone to recover James’ body,” Minerva told them gravely.  
  
“Shit, she doesn’t know about those death eaters or that James is still alive.” Q stated the obvious.  
  
Minerva felt her heart pounding in her chest, “We need to come up with a plan and fast. Q can you find any plans for this facility? Is there anything at all in Denbigh’s files that could be of help?”  
  
“Give me a few moments.”  
  
Minerva turned to Eve, “Now tell me what Q had said to you before we were interrupted.”

/*\\*/*\

 **Diham Metropolitana Facility - Verona, Italy**  
  
Olivia entered the cathedral and looked around at the eerie and desolate building that was falling apart. The surrounding area was silent, as she walked down the cracked and dusty marble aisle.  
  
As she approached the crumbling altar in front of her, she looked up to see a crucifix hanging upside down, that had probably come loose from the crumbling walls. Casting the lumos charm, she inspected the altar for any sign of a disturbance which could give her a clue into finding the entrance of the facility.  
  
Walking round to the far side, she saw various runes covering the side of the stone. As she lightly traced her fingers over them, she felt for anything out of place. It wasn’t until she reached the last five ruins, she could feel the static energy pulsing against her fingertips. However, before she could investigate further, she heard a loud bang to her left.  
  
Holding her wand out in front of her, she cautiously approached the noise, wondering what it was that she would find. Leaning up against the wall, she looked around the corner to find no one there other than an open door that appeared to go into a side room.  
  
Narrowing her eyes, she took a few steps forward, when she suddenly felt as if she were being watched. Feeling a shiver go up her spine, she entered the room, to see an old fireplace in front of her. Walking towards it,  she noticed it was just as old as the rest of the cathedral, nothing in the room appeared to be out of place.  
  
Olivia felt herself become frustrated, and turned to leave the room, when her eyes caught a strange light emitting from the stone all to her right. Staring up at the wall, she saw similar ruins that were on the altar engraved into the stone. She studied all of them, before her eyes landed on one that was out of place.  
  
Tracing the octopus insignia, she narrowed her eyes. Taking a step back, she looked at the floor, seeing a piece of shrapnel. Waving her wand, she watched as the shrapnel was transfigured into a silver ring similar to the one in the photos Q had shown her after Mallory had told her about James’ disappearance.  
  
Picking it up, she turned the black octopus on the ring towards the matching ruin and pressed it against the wall.  
  
She took a step back at hearing the loud grumbling noise and seeing the dust start to fall from the ceiling above as the wall moved to the side to reveal a black corridor with a winding staircase.  
  
Keeping her wand lit, she entered the room and started to walk down the stairs when the door closed behind her encasing her in a silent darkness. Olivia didn’t care if she was walking into a trap, she was another step closer to finding James.  
  
Olivia felt the stairs were never ending before she finally found herself in another corridor. Taking a few steps forward, she was suddenly blinded by a dozen bright lights causing her to close her eyes.  
  
Waiting a few moments, she slowly opened her eyes allowing them to adjust to the now lit corridor, noticing the walls were made from metal giving the appearance of an underground bunker. But she knew appearances could be deceiving.  
  
Her footsteps echoed around her as she walked down the long corridor, expecting a guard to appear at any moment, but there was no one. It caused her uneasiness to grow, that something wasn’t right with this whole scenario.  
  
As she was nearing the corridor, she stopped in her tracks when she saw an unknown figure standing a good few feet in front of her, before they started to run away. Quickening her pace she hurried after them, following them down corridor after corridor, before she lost sight of them.  
  
Looking around, she realised she was in an observation room. Walking over to the glass window, she noticed the lone hospital bed that had been recently slept in. She felt rage overtake her at seeing the unlocked restraints attached to the top and bottom of the bed.  
  
There had to be a way to get into the room.  
  
“Oh to hell with it. Reducto.”  
  
A blue light emitted from her wand and made contact with the glass, shattering it into a thousand tiny pieces. Admiring her work, she ensured there was no glass remaining in the panel before she climbed over and into the other room.  
  
Hearing the glass crunch under her feet, she looked around noticing the steel double door to her right. Taking small tentative steps, she was afraid of what was waiting for her in the other room. She felt her hand shake as she reached out to open one of the doors and pushed it open not prepared for the sight that greeted her.  
  
James abused and tortured body lay in the middle of the room unmoving, his skin covered in various cuts and bruises and goodness knows what else. Feeling a lump in the back of her throat at seeing the now broken man in front of her, she rushed over to his still form and kneeled down next to him.  
  
It was then she could fully see the extent of his injuries realising it was a miracle that he had survived for as long as he did. Reaching out a hand, she gently traced his face with her fingertips.  
  
“I’m sorry, James,” she whispered brokenly. “I couldn’t save you.”  
  
She closed her eyes finally letting her tears fall, as she mourned over the loss of the person she couldn’t live without. If she had told him from the start that she was alive, then perhaps all of this could have been avoided.  
  
Getting lost in her own thoughts, she didn’t see James’ eyes open as he stared up at her in fear and anger.  
  
“You… should h’ve… let me die.”  
  
Olivia’s eyes opened at hearing the broken, and quiet voice as she looked down at James in disbelief.  
  
“You’re alive.” she whispered with a faint smile as she met his gaze, only for it to disappear when she saw the anger and distrust directed towards her.  
  
“James…”  
  
“Don’t… touch me.” he tried to move away from her, only for him to moan in pain feeling as if a thousand knives were being stabbed into his body.  
  
“Do you know who I am, James?”  
  
“You… did this.”  
  
She felt her blood run cold at his words as she looked at him in sadness and fear.  
  
“What has he done to you?”  
   
“Me? I had nothing to do with his condition, dear Olivia. This was all down to you.”  
  
Olivia looked around for the unknown voice, not seeing anyone else in the room.  
  
“What are you talking about?” Olivia called out.  
  
“It was you who beat him. It was you who tortured him. It was you who accused him of working for White and Quantum.” The voice taunted as it started to come closer. “It was you who broke him.”  
  
Olivia looked over at James who had started to shiver from the coldness of the room, realising that whatever Blofeld had done to him the damage was done. James didn’t trust her, he wouldn’t let her anywhere near him. Tightening the hold on her wand, she stood up and quickly turned around, firing off a spell into the corner behind her, watching as it impacted off the wall.  
  
She waited with baited breath before the unknown person started to laugh. “I heard great things about you, sweet Olivia. Imagine my surprise when i was informed that you had returned from the dead. It shouldn’t have surprised me, you were always a force to be reckoned with over the years.”  
  
“Instead of hiding like a coward why don’t you show yourself.” Olivia snapped losing her patience.  
  
“All in good time, dear Olivia. I was hoping you would come to retrieve James by yourself. No one here to protect you, not even your sister. Tell me how is Minerva, these days?”  
  
“Go to hell.” she replied seeing a shadow to her left and fired another spell.  
  
Another laugh was her only response, “Don’t you see, James. She holds no remorse for her actions. You put your life on the line so many times for this woman, and she repays you by torture.”  
  
“James, don’t listen to him. He’s lying. Everything that has happened to you, all your pain and suffering over the years was caused by him.”  
  
“You saw her torture you with your own eyes, James. It all falls back on her.”  
  
Olivia saw the turmoil James was currently facing as he looked at her.  
  
“James, I have always trusted you…”  
  
“Yet, you still lied to him for months. You didn’t trust him enough to let him know that you had survived your ordeal with dear Tiago. You let him believe that you were dead for months. Let’s not forget that you also kept your true relationship with Tiago a secret. Tell me James, does that sound like a woman who has always trusted you? One who lies and manipulates you to do her bidding.”  
  
“Why are you doing this?” Olivia shouted, causing James to flinch as her voice echoed around the room.  
  
“Because, Olivia, the things that bring people together out of horror and beauty. Can also tear them apart."  
  
Olivia just managed to move out the way of the red light that was heading towards her, never seeing the person, who came up behind her until she felt herself on the ground, her body convulsing as she was exposed to the full effects of the cruciatus curse.  
  
She could feel the blood in her mouth as she continued to bite her tongue to stop herself from screaming out in pain. She wasn’t giving the bastard the satisfaction.  
  
When the curse was finally lifted she lay on the ground breathless and in pain as the man continued to laugh.  
  
“So pathetic and weak. I expected better from you, Olivia. I’m sure Travers thinks the same.”  
  
When she saw another spell headed in her direction, she rolled out of the way and quickly got to her feet, when suddenly she felt her wand fly out of her hand and towards the shadow figure that she noticed was now standing in front of her.  
  
“My turn.” The voice retorted.  
  
Olivia quickly turned around too late to move out of the way as the green light made contact with her chest. She could feel herself falling, as a faint voice calling out to her in the distance before she was surrounded by darkness.

/*\\*/*\

 **Whitehall, London**  
  
Minerva thought over everything Eve had told her about what Q had said, and it certainly could be possible. If it was, then all their troubles were just beginning. She had asked Hermione and Kingsley to inquire about any information that may be of help to them regarding Q’s theory. It was a long shot but she wasn’t taking any chances.  
  
“I can’t find plans for the underground facility, but I have found plans for the cathedral situated on top that may be of use to you.”  
  
“Thank you, Q. Hopefully they will help in some way or another.” Minerva said before turning to Harry. “ Mr Potter, could you and the others look at those plans and see if you can come up with a way to get us into that facility. If i seem to recall, you and your friends always did have a knack for finding a way into  areas that were supposed to be out of bounds.”  
  
“Consider it done, Professor.”  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
She watched as everyone worked together, while her mind was filled with scenarios of what was happening to Olivia. It seemed James’ vitals had stabilised, but she didn’t know how or why she was just thankful that they had.  
  
As the minutes ticked by, she wondered if Hermione and Kingsley had found anything. She was never one for sitting around doing nothing, but right now she felt useless. She should have followed after Olivia when she had left Mallory’s office when she received the news of James’ ‘death’.  
  
There was a lot of things in her life she wished she could have done differently, but there was no point living in the past. She had to keep a clear head for the here and now if she ever hoped to see Olivia again.  
  
“She’ll be fine, Minerva. Olivia can take care of herself.” Mallory told her in a soft voice as he took a seat next to her.    
  
“I know she can, but that still doesn’t stop me from worrying.”  
  
Mallory gave a small nod, before reaching into his pocket and took out a silver ring.  
  
“Here, you had best take this.”  
  
Minerva looked at the ring in his hand, “if this is a proposal Mallory, I’m afraid I’ll have to decline.”  
  
The man gave an amused smile, “It’s the ring James recovered from Sciarra. It may be of some help in the facility. I highly doubt it, but best to be safe than sorry,” he placed the ring in her hand.  
  
“Thank you.”  
  
The sound of a faint pop caused Minerva to stand up as she saw Hermione had returned holding a book in her arms with Kingsley standing beside her.  
  
“Did you find anything?”  
  
“Yes, but I’m afraid you aren’t going to like it. It seems Q’s theory was, in fact, correct.” Kingsley told her gravely, as he let Hermione pass over the leather bound book in her arms to Minerva.  
  
Sitting back down, she opened flicked to the page that had marked with books ribbon and quickly read over the information that had been documented. All the pieces were starting to fall into place. It certainly explained a few things.  
  
“Professor, I think these plans won’t be of much use to us. If Olivia has found a way into the facility, without even looking at these plans. I’m going to guess that is our best plan as well.”  
  
“Very well, Mr Potter.” Minerva closed the book and handed it back over to Hermione. “We leave in fifteen minutes. I’m not waiting a moment longer.”  
  
“We’ll get everything ready, Minerva,” Kingsley told her as he went to help Harry and the others prepare for their mission.  
  
“We’re going with you.”  
  
Minerva turned to see Eve, holstering a gun in the back of her trousers.  
  
“It’s too dangerous. You could both be killed.”  
  
“It’s a chance we’re willing to take,” Tanner told her.  
  
Minerva turned to Mallory hoping the man would knock some sense into his staff.  
  
“Sorry Minerva, but I’m afraid I'm going with you as well.”  
  
“And Q?” Minerva asked looking over at the quartermaster expecting him to join in on this suicide pact.  
  
“I’m staying. I will be of more help to all of you here. I’m going to equip all of you with a com device that will allow each of you to stay in contact with each other within the facility. It is likely that Blofeld is keeping some of the Nine Eyes backup servers within the facility.”  
  
“How will we know?” Eve inquired.  
  
“You won’t, which means any piece of technology you come across, destroy it. After the area has been cleared from any danger, come back and get me and we’ll have a look for any information to ensure that SPECTRE is brought to an end for good this time.”  
  
“Sounds like a plan, Q.” Eve agreed.  
  
Minerva pursed her lips, clearly unimpressed that Tanner, Mallory, and Moneypenny were willing to put their lives on the line.  
  
“I know what you’re thinking, Minerva. But the truth is, everyone who works under this building puts their lives at risk on a daily basis even if they aren’t out in the field. They know what to expect.” Mallory said hoping to reassure her.  
  
“I hope you’re right, Mallory.”  
  
“So, Q’s theory was right after all?” Eve inquired.  
  
“Yes, Miss Moneypenny. I’m afraid it was.” Minerva confirmed fearing what this would mean for Olivia and James.

  
/*\\*/*\

 **Diham Metropolitana Facility - Verona, Italy**  
  
Olivia slowly opened her eyes, as she looked up at the white ceiling. She tried to sit up, when she felt a sharp pressure on her chest. Trying to move her arms, she looked up to see her wrists had were bound by similar restraints she saw on James’ hospital bed earlier.  
  
At the thought of James, she looked around for any sign of him, realising she was alone and her wand was nowhere to be seen. She tried to recall, what had happened, but her mind felt as if it were encased in a thick fog. She swore she heard the name Travers but the man had disappeared seventeen years ago.  
  
Trying to call her magic to her to undo the restraints, she watched as nothing happened.  
  
“Marvelous isn’t it?”  
  
She turned her attention to the voice to see, Travers standing in the doorway.  
  
“What did you do to me?”  
  
Travers simply laughed, “Oh how i wish i could take credit for your current predicament, Olivia. Especially after you and McGonagall would have killed me without a second thought.”  
  
“It would be no more than what you deserved. Now, where is James?”  
  
“Your little agent, is with an old friend of mine. She will take good care of him for you.”  
  
She tried to move her body into a sitting position when she felt the same sharp pain in her chest.  
  
“It seems that little spell did more damage than we originally thought.”  
  
Olivia was about to answer when she realised Travers wasn’t speaking to her, but rather someone out in the corridor.  
  
“Pity, it was never my intention to harm our dear Olivia.” The voice mocked, before making itself known.  
  
“Franz Oberhauser I presume?” Olivia asked when she saw the man stare down at her with a small smile.  
  
“Franz Oberhauser died in an avalanche with his father, the man you are talking to now is Ernst Stavro Blofeld.”  
  
“"Catchy name, am I supposed to be impressed? You killed your own father. You torture your adopted brother out of spite and jealousy just because your father preferred him over you. I can certainly understand why, you are nothing but a pathetic fool who lets others do your dirty work. Then we have Travers, an ex-follower to a wizard who claimed to be the darkest of our time, only for him to end up dead and you to run in fear as you fled for your own life.”  
  
“CRUCIO!”  
  
Olivia, felt tears leak from her eyes, as the pain in her chest combined with the curse made it hard to breathe.  
  
“That’s enough, Travers!”  
  
Travers ended the curse, watching satisfied as Olivia lay on the bed panting and unable to move, before leaving the room.  
  
“Why do you test his temper? All that pain could have been avoided.” Blofeld told her softly as he walked over to her bed and reached out to wipe the tears from her face.    
  
She tried to move away from his touch, but felt too weak to do so.  
  
“Blue really does suit you, Olivia.” He looked down at her body, admiring the blue evening gown she was now wearing.  
  
“Let James go.”  
  
“I can’t do that, Olivia.” He ran his fingers through her hair, in a soothing manner.  
  
Olivia felt sick at having him touch her, but there was nothing she could do, her magic wouldn’t respond to her. Until she found her wand she was powerless and defenceless.  
  
“How did you get Travers to work for you considering they hate everything to do with people who are inferior to themselves.”  
  
“I’m aware of their prejudices, Olivia. I was well informed about your world.”  
  
“By who?”  
  
“A man I met after i faked my death. He was unwanted much like myself, so he taught me everything there was to know about the wizarding world. The knowledge I gained i used it to my advantage. Once he left, I kept in contact with him throughout the years, until one day he was gone and i was once again alone.”    
  
“What happened to him?”  
  
“Sadly he was killed seventeen years ago.”  
  
Olivia’s eyes widened in realisation as everything slowly started to fall into place.  
  
“You can’t be.”  
  
“Can’t be what?” Blofeld taunted. A wizard?”  
  
Olivia merely nodded, feeling her heart beat against her chest.  
  
“Oh, but I am.” he waved his hand over one of the restraints causing it to become unlocked. “I finally found my true potential and it was all thanks to one man.”  
  
“Who?” Olivia asked feeling her mouth become dry.  
  
 Blofeld gave her a smirk, before bending down so he could whisper the name in her ear.  
  
“Tom Marvolo Riddle.”


	7. The Ultimatum

* * *

**Diham Metropolitana Facility - Verona, Italy **

If it wasn't for her heart beating frantically against her chest, Olivia could have sworn her heart had stopped at name Blofeld muttered. It made her wonder if Hannes knew that his son was capable of magic.

"Did your father know?"

Blofeld gave a humourless chuckle, "Of course he did. When I received my letter at the tender age of eleven, my father was furious. He forbade me to accept the place I had been offered at Durmstrang. My abilities were unnatural in his eyes. So, I had no other option but allow my father to inform the school that I would not be attending. It was just the start of me resenting my father."

"And James, made you hate your father even more?"

"But of course. He was everything my father had ever wanted in a son. He would always spend time with _James_ , and I would be left to watch from afar. The only reason he didn't die with my father in that avalanche, was because he had fallen ill and couldn't make the trip. After I had been declared dead, I knew I had to try and find a way to survive. It was only four months after the incident, that I met Tom. He took me in and cared for me. He taught me everything there was to know about magic and helped train me to use my magic to its full potential. Now here I am; a man soon to be in control of the magical world and every country around the globe and there will be no one to stand in my way. Not even your precious, James."

Olivia tried to ignore the mocking tone in his voice as she gave another involuntary whimper in pain wondering what spell Blofeld had used on her. It was nothing she had ever seen or felt before in her life. It was as if someone had taken a knife and was constantly stabbing her in the chest, while invisible hands gripped her heart and started to squeeze and twist the organ tightly in their hands. The pain had lessened to a dull ache when Blofeld had touched her, but as soon as he moved away, the pain started to build up once again causing her to tightly close her eyes to try and block out the pain.

"I see the spell is working to its full potential." Blofeld looked down at Olivia.

"What did you do?"

"A spell of my own creation. I call it, _Animus Captivus._ The spell itself causes a person's magic to slowly kill them. I would say you have forty-eight hours before you will be dead. But, there is a way to reverse the spell before it consumes you."

"How?" Olivia panted, as she squeezed her eyes closed tightly as another wave of pain passed through her body.

Blofeld took a seat close to her bed, staring intently at her. "The spell is causing your magical core to become unstable. The strain of the power will eventually cause your heart to weaken. I can put a stop to it, but it would involve you sharing your magic with me to ensure your core remains balanced."

Olivia felt nausea in the pit of her stomach as Blofeld told her the full consequences of the spell he had used on her. She had never heard of such a spell, but then again if he learned to control his magic from Riddle, there was no doubt in her mind that the spell he had used on her was a form of old magic. Whatever the outcome and consequences of the spell, Olivia felt that she was doomed either way.

"And what is it… that you want in return?"

"I'm so glad you asked, dear Olivia. I will reverse the spell on three conditions; firstly, you will agree to the soul binding ceremony. This will grant me a means to ensure your magical core remains stable and will bind your very soul with mine. Secondly, you will remain here, and swear your allegiance to SPECTRE."

"And the third?" Olivia opened her eyes to see Blofeld's predatory smile.

"The third condition is that you will submit yourself to me and only me. I will own your body." He ran a hand up her exposed leg, towards her thigh, before continuing to travel up towards her chest. "Your soul" he pressed down on her chest causing her to moan in pain, before tracing his fingers over her collarbone, up her neck until he reached her jaw and continued to lovingly caress the side of her face. "And your mind."

Olivia lay on the bed unable to think of a response to his conditions. It didn't matter if Blofeld did save her, she would still suffer at his hands. If she didn't agree to his terms, she would die anyway and James would still be his prisoner. Each option looked as bleak as the next unless she could make her own terms and arrange a deal.

"What's your decision, Olivia? Live or die?"

She licked her lips, feeling her mouth become dry, "before I tell you my answer, I have one condition of my own."

"And what would that be?"

"You let, James go. But, I want to be the one to take him to Minerva to ensure he arrives safely. Once I know he is in safe hands… then I'm yours." Olivia whispered through the pain.

Blofeld removed his hand from her face and sat back in his chair thinking about her terms. If he let Olivia deliver his little brother into Minerva's care, she could find a means to disappear, despite their soul binding.

"Very well, but before you set foot out of this facility, you and I have a soul binding ceremony to prepare for, then and only then will I allow you to deliver James to your sister. If you try and run Olivia, I will find you and kill everyone you love. Then I will punish you, do you understand?"

Seeing the truth behind Blofeld's eyes, she knew the man would carry out his threat, seeing no alternative, other than praying that Minerva arrived before the ceremony could be complete, she found herself saying the one word that she would regret for the rest of her life.

"Yes," she whispered.

"Very well, but to ensure you keep your word, I think an extra precaution needs to be taken. Don't you?" Blofeld smirked knowing he had now won. Minerva wouldn't risk killing him, not when her sister's life would be on the line. If Minerva killed him, she would also kill Olivia. Everything seemed to be going according to plan.

He was determined to continue with Tom's legacy and finish what he had started. Those responsible for his mentor's death would pay with their lives. Keeping his attention on Olivia, he noticed her eyes had once again closed no doubt trying to block out the pain. He couldn't believe she had agreed to his terms. It seemed his little brother proved more useful than he had originally hoped. With Olivia's magic and knowledge, along with Tiago's surveillance network, he would be unstoppable and both the muggle and wizarding worlds would soon be under his control.

**Notes for the Chapter:**

> Animus Captivus - Captive Soul.


	8. Of Runes and Rituals

**~*~**

**Whitehall, London**  
  
Minerva continued to glance down at the book Hermione had brought, trying to wrap her head around everything she had read. It certainly explained a few things. Like why she had no recognition of Oberhauser’s name listed as a possible candidate for her school. From the records, it seemed he had declined his place at Durmstrang, so how did he manage to get two ex-death eaters to work for him? She could only think of one explanation, but it was absurd to even her own ears.  
  
“Minerva, are you ready?”  
  
She looked over at Mallory only to see everyone’s attention on her.  
  
“Yes, I think we have waited long enough. Mr. Potter, if you could set up a portkey, It’s time we brought Olivia and James home.”  
  
“Why not use, apparition?” Eve asked as she watched Harry pick up the glass paperweight from Mallory’s desk.  
  
“Normally It would have been my first choice, but since there is so many of us, a portkey is the easiest option.”  
  
“Ready when you are, Professor.”  
  
“Thank you, Mr. Potter.”  
  
Minerva walked over to the group who were surrounding the glass ornament, waiting for the older witch to give them the signal that they were ready.  
  
“Moneypenny, Mallory, and Tanner I need you to touch a part of the ornament with the tip of your finger when I tell you to. And for goodness sake whatever you do, do not let go. Do you understand?”  
  
The three of them nodded in understanding, not questioning the outcome of what would happen if they did indeed let go.  
  
“Q, try and shut down the nine eyes server on Denbigh’s computer network. There may be more servers scattered in this facility, but make a start with his then we will go from there.”  
  
“Understood sir?” Q replied with a nervous smile.  
  
“If that’s everything, I think it’s time we go.” Minerva looked around at each of the group for anyone who had second thoughts about going. When no one left their position, she knew they were ready.  
  
“On the count of three. One, two, three.”  
  
The group touched the portkey and were gone leaving Q standing alone behind his computer with a look of disbelief.  
  
“Come back alive.” He muttered to the empty room, before turning to his laptop and accessed Denbigh’s computer network. He may not be any use to them out in the field, but he would make sure that Blofeld’s computer empire was brought to an end.  

/*\\*/*\

  **Il Martirio Cathedral - Verona, Italy**  
  
The group landed on the ground with a dull thud, with the exception of Minerva who had somehow managed to keep her footing despite her slight stumble. Ignoring the groans coming from the ground, she looked over at the ancient cathedral, knowing Olivia and James were somewhere inside.  
  
“Let’s never do that again,” Eve muttered as she shakily stood to her feet.  
  
“I agree.” Tanner agreed with a groan as he stood up stretching his back.  
  
Mallory wordlessly pulled himself up from the ground, walked over to Minerva and stood next to her, as he followed her gazed over to the crumbling building.  
  
“Are you sure you are ready for this?” Mallory voiced concerned for Minerva’s welfare at the thought of what they may find.  
  
“Truthfully? No. I’m not. We have no idea what we are up against, but I’ll do whatever it takes to make sure I get Olivia and James out of there alive.”  
  
“And we’ll help you any way we can, but I’m worried how you will react at what we will find.”  
  
Minerva turned to look up at him with narrowed eyes, “what are you implying?”  
  
“That we may not find her alive. You need to prepare yourself for that outcome.”  
  
“She’s still alive, Mallory. I know she is. Whether she is injured or not is another matter entirely.”    
  
Mallory knew that it would be useless to try and make her think realistically about the situation. He guessed in a way he would be feeling the same if two people he considered family were held captive.  
  
“All I’m saying is that you need to think realistically about the situation.”  
  
“Yes, and if I wanted your advice, Mallory, I would ask for it.” Minerva shot him a cold look before making her way over to the cathedral’s entrance, while the rest of the group hurried to catch up with her.

  
/*\\*/*\

 **Medical Room, Diham Metropolitana Facility - Verona, Italy**  
  
James lay on the hospital bed, staring up at the tiled ceiling, his mind numb so much so that he didn’t flinch at the brunette woman who was currently cleaning and dressing his wounds on his torso. He was beyond confused with what had happened earlier, especially when his torturer started to breakdown at seeing his appearance. He thought it was just another one of her tricks to lead him into a false sense of security. Yet, when he saw her hit being with the unknown green light, he had felt panic flow through him when he saw her fall. He had no idea why he had felt the way he did if anything he should have been ecstatic that such a vile woman was taken care of, but instead, he felt a loss.  
  
Her touch had been soft, unlike what it had been during his torture session. There was a connection between them, but how could it be possible. He didn’t know the woman. He couldn’t even recall parts of his life.  
  
Ever since he had woken up here, there was a feeling of a large blank space in his mind, giving him the feeling that it used to contain all the answers that he currently needed. But no matter how many times he tried to access or recall his missing memories, they continued to escape his grasp. He had a feeling that the woman who was the main cause of his pain and suffering played a huge part in those missing memories.  
  
He gave a grunt in pain when he felt the woman press down none too gently on one of his wounds. He had meant what he said, it would have been better if she had just let him die at least that way he would be free from the pain and suffering, but something made him cling on.  
  
James’ gaze followed the woman as she put the bloodstained gauze in the metal tray, before picking up a syringe. If he wanted answers, he wasn’t going to find them lying here and he refused to be put through another torture session.  
  
The woman gave him what he supposed was to be a comforting smile, but her eyes remained cold and emotionless. As she brought the syringe closer to his skin, he grabbed her wrist, and twisted it back, as he used his other hand to grab the needle from her grasp and quickly stabbed it into her neck, and pushed down on the plunger.  
  
James saw her eyes become glassy, as he used what strength he had left to push her away from him, feeling no remorse as he watched her collapse to the floor. Throwing back the covers, he moved to leave the bed, biting his lip to stop the scream that wanted to break free when he felt his skin pull on his injuries.  
  
The effort alone made him breathless, and he knew he had no chance of outrunning the guards, but he had to try and if that meant if he had to die for his freedom, then so be it, he would rather face death than the alternative.  
  
Looking at the medical tray next to him, he quickly searched for anything he could use as a weapon, but the most damaging thing he could find was a scalpel.  
  
Picking up the small metal blade, he stood to his feet, feeling the room sway, feeling bile at the back of his throat. Closing his eyes, he breathed heavily through his nose, waiting for the sensation to pass. It was a few seconds before he opened his eyes and blearily made his way over to the door.  
James tried to listen for the sound of voices or footsteps in the corridor, but he was met with silence. Turning the handle, he pulled open the door and looked down the brightly lit hallway. His uneasiness grew at the lack of guards, wondering if this was just another part of their sick game.

He cautiously walked out of his room and decided to take the right corridor hoping it would lead to an exit. He was just nearing the end of the corridor when he saw a door to his left. Feeling his pulse quicken, he turned the handle finding the door unlocked. Stepping inside, the first thing he noticed was the vast range of monitors on the wall, showing the various areas of the compound.  
  
Closing the door behind him, he walked over to the console and looked up at each of the cameras. His eyes narrowed when he saw a man and a woman, in a heated discussion. Looking at the console, he moved the mouse over to camera four and clicked on it causing their voices to fill the room.  
  
_“I thought the original plan was for him to kill Olivia and James, now you’re telling me he wants to keep that decrepit old hag around, Travers!”_  
  
_“Blofeld never gave her a choice in the matter. He used the Animus Captivus spell on her and you know the consequences if the demands of the spell aren’t met!”_  
  
_“Yes, I know she dies if she doesn’t bond with another host! But, I don’t see how Blofeld agreeing to let James go, after we spent, no after I spent hours torturing him! Do you have any idea what it’s like to play an old dwarf?!”_  
  
James felt himself sink to the ground, confused as to what he had just heard. It was impossible. The woman who he saw when he woke was the same one that had tortured him. It had to be. He closed his eyes, as he felt a dull pressure press against his head.  
  
_“I can imagine, but just imagine what it must have been like for her precious James who willingly endured a loving, sexual relationship with her.”_  
  
James felt numb, as he tried to piece together everything he had just heard. If what they were saying was true, then it explained why the second Olivia had sounded heartbroken and pleaded for him to trust her. But if that were the case, how could the woman on the screen have been the person who tortured him. He had seen with his own eyes, that it was Olivia, but now he didn’t know what to believe.  
  
_Emeline let out a harsh laugh, “True, I don’t know what he and Blofeld see in her.”_  
  
_“You had best get used to seeing her around. I overheard the guards talking and it seems, she has reluctantly agreed to bind herself to Blofeld, but only if he lets James go.”_  
  
James’ eyes opened, as he looked up at the screen in disbelief.  
  
_“And what of McGonagall? She won’t stand by and let her sister be Blofeld’s slave.”_  
  
McGonagall? The name sounded familiar, yet he couldn’t recall where he had heard it. An image of a cat flashed in his mind before it was gone, wondering if he was going insane.  
  
_“No, but she will be powerless to stop him. To inflict any pain on him would harm Olivia, and I don’t think she would risk her sister’s life.”_  
  
_“Yes, but how do we know, once she has delivered James, Olivia won’t kill Blofeld herself. She will have nothing to lose.”_  
  
_“No, but she will still be putting her friends and family at risk. She is only one woman, Emeline, she won’t be able to take out all of Blofeld’s network”_  
  
_“I suppose you’re right.”_  
  
_“Look at it this way, in an hour’s time, the game will be over, and the queen will be captured for good.”_  
  
James clicked off the video feed, as their laughter filled the room unwilling to hear any more. He felt anger and frustration flow through him as he tried to access his memories. There had to be something, why else would they go to all this trouble to torture him, and capture Olivia. Then there was McGonagall, whose name was familiar yet, he couldn’t picture her. If she was Olivia’s sister, he must have met her at some point. He had to have done.  
  
Standing up, he looked around at the rest of the monitors, looking for any sign of Olivia. It didn’t take him long to find her lying, strapped to a medical bed in a room much like his own. Clicking on the feed, he heard her small whimpers in pain, causing her to tug on her restraints as she tried to escape from the pain.  
  
James zoomed in on her image, trying to find any indication of where she was located when his eyes found what appeared to be a ring on her left ring finger.

They were engaged.  
  
As he continued to stare at the ring, he saw himself kneeling on one knee in the dimly lit room as he opened a small black velvet box.  
  
“No matter what life throws at us, Olivia. I’ll always love you.” He muttered under his breath as the words echoed in his mind.  
  
James saw her pain filled eyes meet his own through the camera as if she had heard him before they closed no doubt trying to block out the pain.  
  
He had to find her, and get the answers he desperately needed.  
  
Turning his attention away from, Olivia he continued to scan the room, knowing there had to be something to give him a clue as to where Blofeld was keeping her. He was ready to give up when he saw a painting in a glass frame on the wall. As he zoomed in closer, he realised he had seen it before. He had been brought to that room, after his first torture session. Now, he just had to find out where the room is located.  
  
Grabbing the scalpel, he turned and left the room, and continued to the end of the corridor, before deciding to turn left. Not that it mattered, it looked exactly the same as the previous one. He could feel sweat on his brow as he pushed his body to its limits.  
  
He was nearing the end of the corridor when the sound of an alarm screamed throughout the compound. Cursing under his breath, he looked around for an escape route.  
  
Not caring where he was going, he hurried as quickly as his body would allow through the maze of corridors, seeking someplace to hide. He felt relief wash over him when he saw a door up ahead.  
  
Rushing towards it, his relief was short lived when he heard the sound of hurried footsteps and gunfire. He was a few yards from the door, when a bullet grazed passed his ear, embedding itself in the wall.  
  
James refused to stop.  
  
His hand briefly touched the door handle, before it was pulled open, causing him to stumble, before he felt a harsh tug on his arm pulling inside.  
  
James tried to gather his bearings, as he looked over at his rescuer with distrust. He gripped the scalpel tighter in his hand, ready to attack if they posed a threat.    
  
“Who the hell are you?” James demanded.

/*\\*/*\

 **Il Martirio Cathedral - Verona, Italy**  
  
The group entered the cathedral, looking around at the crumbling building covered in dust and debris wondering where to start.  
  
“This place is seriously creepy,” Eve muttered feeling a chill go through her.  
  
“Mallory, Tanner, Eve and I will search the left side of the room.  Mr Potter, you, Kingsley, and the others take the right side.” The six of them gave her a nod, before walking away keeping their wands drawn.  
  
“Except you Miss Granger. I want you to check out the front of the cathedral. You were exceptional at runes Hermione, perhaps you can find something that will help us in our search.”  
  
“Of course,” Hermione replied blushing at the praise.  
  
McGonagall watched her walk down the aisle towards the alter, knowing if there was something there, she would find it.  
  
“What is it we are looking for?” Tanner asked as they started to search the left side of the cathedral.  
  
“A doorway or hidden passage. We know the facility is underground, we just need to find the entrance.” McGonagall replied absentmindedly as she looked at the cathedral's stone walls.  
  
Mallory walked over into the side room, and towards the old fireplace. Running his hands along the top, they came away with a powdery substance. Rubbing it between his thumb and forefinger, feeling a gritty texture, before sniffing it, smelling a trace of Sulphur.  
  
Narrowing his eyes, he looked around at the walls close to the fireplace. Taking his time, he ran his fingers along the wall for any trace of a latch, when his hands came across a familiar symbol.  
  
“Minerva, you had best get over here,” Mallory called out, looking around, seeing faint foot treads in the dust.  
  
“What have you found?” Minerva asked urgently.  
  
Mallory looked over at her, “Olivia was standing here, which means there must be a door somewhere in this general area.”  
  
“How do you know?”  
  
“Look at the ground, there are footprints here before they disappear behind this wall,” Mallory informed her. “I need to see that ring I gave you.”  
  
Minerva not questioning why handed it over to him as Tanner and Eve came to stand next to her. They watched as Mallory felt for the symbol he came across mere seconds ago, and looked down at the ring, and pressed it into the wall. Nothing happened for a few seconds until the building started to shake, and the wall disappeared to reveal a passageway.  
  
“And here is your secret doorway.” Mallory turned to her with a smile.  
  
Minerva was about to congratulate him when she heard Hermione shout out to them in excitement.  
  
The four of them looked at each other before hurrying to the front of the cathedral to see Hermione running her hands over the side of the altar.  
  
“What have you found, Hermione?” Harry asked taking a step forward.  
  
“I will have to look into it more, but according to the runes around this altar, it was used for soul binding rituals; both good and evil that date back centuries.”  
  
“What do you mean?” Ron asked confused. “I thought all soul bindings were dark as you are tying yourself to someone against their will.”  
  
“Honestly, Ronald. Not all soul bindings were used for enslavement. Some used them to deepen their love for each other, in other words, to make themselves feel complete. If one died, then the other would follow rather than spend the rest of their life alone.” Hermione told them knowingly.  
  
“If you touch the five runes on my side, and the five runes on the other side, each is pulsating with magic.”  
  
Minerva kneeled down and traced her fingers across the runes before pulling her hand back.  
  
“You felt it too?” Hermione asked in excitement.  
  
Minerva gave a nod, “What do these five runes mean, Miss Granger?”  
  
“The ones on my side detail the outcome of a soul binding on someone who was unwilling. The ones on your side, are the opposite. In a sense that negative runes, like the ones shown here, always face towards the left or, are flipped to show a mirror side of the positive outcomes.” Hermione told them and walked around and kneeled next to Minerva.  
  
“The positive runes are the benefits of a soul bind. This one here is called Algiz, which gives protection. The second is Uruz, which enhances sexual desires. The third is Fehu which gives prolonged happiness, the fourth is Laguz which gives both participant’s life energy and lastly we have Berkana which gives fertility.”  
  
“And what of the negative?” Neville asked dreading the answer.  
  
“If a soul bind is performed on an unwilling person, their protection will turn into danger, sexual desire will be nothing more than lust which would lead to violence, happiness would be hate, life energy would be enslavement and fertility would be mirrored as death.”  
  
Everyone remained silent not knowing what to say. Minerva stood up and looked over to the hidden passageway before turning back to look at the altar.  
  
“What are you thinking?” Mallory asked in apprehension.  
  
“Why on earth would Blofeld pick this cathedral as a hideout of all places, when he could have picked anywhere in the world?”  
  
“Well, Verona, was the setting of Romeo and Juliet” George replied seeing everyone’s attention turn to him.  
  
“What, I do read now and again.”  
  
Hermione gave him an amused look, “He’s right, the contents of the runes seem to echo Romeo and Juliet, but they also echo The Taming of the Shrew."  
  
“I haven’t read that one yet, so no spoilers,” George told her in warning.  
  
Minerva recalled of what she could remember of the story in her mind, Katherina an unwilling participant in her relationship, but Petruchio tempered her with various psychological torments until she became a compliant and obedient bride. She never liked the play personally, she found the play as a game and nothing more, but it still didn’t explain why Blofeld picked here of all places. Unless he somehow knew about the alters properties. What could he hope to gain?

She came out of her thoughts when she heard Hermione continue with her theory.

"I can't say for certain that those two plays have any relation, considering there is a huge amount of literature going back decades. So, any piece of literature could correlate.”  
  
Minerva knew Hermione had made a valid point and speculating would get them nowhere. 

"What do the rest of the runes around the altar say, Miss Granger?”

Hermione kneeled next to the alter and traced her fingers over the symbols as she read out the inscription.  
  
“If love is true, to bind the soul is one of the highest forms of magic and love. Two souls sharing one life. Two threads are woven together to create one soul representing their love for all eternity. If love is forced, unhappiness and enslavement exist. Neither is happy at the hands of the other, thus the consequences result in the suicide of one of the souls. Torment and suffering will follow them for all eternity.”    
  
“Sweet Merlin,” Kingsley muttered.  
  
“There is more underneath, but it will take some time to translate it, but from what I can make out its instructions on how to perform a soul binding between two people,” Hermione told her gravely.  
  
“Are you thinking what I’m thinking, Eve?” Tanner whispered into her ear.  
  
“Yes, and I think Minerva is having the same thoughts.”  
  
“Okay, Miss Granger you stay here with Mr Weasley.”  
  
“Which one?” Ron and George said at the same time.  
  
“Ron, the rest of you are coming with me,” Minerva ordered. “Mallory, Kingsley, you will come with me to find James, the rest of you find Olivia and those servers.”  
  
“What about Blofeld and his men?” Luna asked her.  
  
“Try and keep them alive, especially Blofeld.”  
  
The group gave a nod in acknowledgment and made their way into the entrance of the facility.  
  
“Once more unto the breach, dear friends, once more,” George muttered, causing the group to inwardly groan.  
  
“I knew Hermione shouldn’t have bought him the complete works of Shakespeare,” Ginny muttered to her husband.  
  
As the wall closed behind them, Harry couldn’t help but agree with her as he conjured some light as they walked down the winding staircase.  
  
“Where do you propose we start? We don’t even have a layout.” George whispered.  
  
“Anywhere. We are not leaving here until Olivia and James are safe and Blofeld, Zara's and Travers are detained,”  Minerva replied, giving a sigh of relief when they finally reached the bottom. However, her relief was short lived when she saw the long metal corridors.  
  
“We’ll go left, the rest of you go right. Keep in contact at all times. And please for the love of Merlin be careful.” Minerva told them.  
  
“We always are, Min,” George smirked. “Let’s go, guys, we have a damsel to save.”  
  
“Don’t let Olivia hear you call her that, she’ll probably hex you.” Ginny joked.  
  
“She wouldn’t,” George said uncertainly as they started to walk down the corridor. “Would she?”  
  
Minerva shook her head as she watched them go. “We had best make a start ourselves.”  
  
“I hate to recall Mr Weasley’s earlier words, but how are we supposed to find, James?” Kingsley said looking at Minerva.  
  
“I may be able to help there.” Mallory cut in touching the comm in his ear.  
  
“Q, I need you to track Bond’s smart blood signal to give us directions to find Bond’s location.”  
  
_“On it, Sir, but I can't guarantee these directions will be accurate.”_

"Try your best, Q."  
  
It was a few seconds before Q replied.  
  
_“It seems he is on the move. Go straight down to your left, then go right.”_  
  
“Well?” Minerva asked waiting for directions.  
  
“Straight down the corridor, and turn right,” Mallory repeated withdrawing his gun.  
  
They started walking down the corridor when the wailing sound of an alarm echoed throughout the facility.  
  
Picking up the pace, they ran down the corridor and turned right to see three guards heading their way.  
  
Minerva and Kingsley quickly stunned two of them, watching satisfied as their bodies fell to the ground.  
  
Mallory saw the third guard aiming his gun at Minerva and pushed her out the way, while quickly firing his gun causing the bullet to embed in the man’s thigh, while Kingsley stunned him unconscious.  
  
“Thank you, Gareth.”  
  
“Anytime,” Mallory replied just as Q spoke in his comm.  
  
_“Are you all right?” Q's asked urgently._  
  
“We’re fine, Q. Where do we go once we’re at the end of the corridor?”  
  
_“Take another left and tell me what you see.”_

"A door."

_"Go through it."_

"Thank you for stating the obvious, Q." Mallory replied sarcastically.

"Head for the door." he repeated to Kingsley and Minerva.  
  
Quickening their pace, they approached the door, and Kingsley pulled it open and ushered them inside.  
  
Locking, the door behind them, they looked around noticing they were in an antechamber with a door on the far side. Minerva started to approach when she heard the sound of gunfire and hurried footsteps coming closer.  
  
Minerva tightened the grip on her wand and looked back at Kingsley and Mallory giving them a subtle nod to get ready.  
  
Pulling open the door, she saw three guards, guns raised, chasing a familiar figure who she nearly smacked with the door. Grabbing his arm, she pulled him inside and locked the door behind her.  
  
“Who the hell are you?”  
  
Minerva turned to see the bloody and bruised Bond staring back at her with distrust. She gazed into his blue eyes, seeing panic and confusion reflecting back at her.  
  
Before she could inquire further, the door crashed open as the guards made their way inside.  
  
“Both of you get down!” Kingsley shouted at them.  
  
Minerva pushed them both to the ground just as the room erupted in gunfire.    
  
Turning around, she waved her wand, watching in satisfaction as one of the guards was blasted off his feet, before smashing into the metal wall and crumbled to the ground with the other two guards joining him.  
  
“I’m getting too old for this,”  Minerva muttered, as Kingsley helped her up off the ground.  
  
“Thank you.” She gratefully told him before looking down at James who was now in a sitting position with the help of Mallory.  
  
She didn’t miss the flinch, as soon as Mallory’s hands touched him. Minerva felt a pain stab in her heart as she took in the deep lacerations on his torso, and goodness knows where else. He was broken. A shell of the man she had conversations with only a few months prior.  
  
Kneeling down in front of him, she tried to give him a comforting smile.  
  
“James, we’re not going to hurt you. We’re here to help you. Do you know who I am?”  
  
“No,” James muttered. “Should I?”  
  
“Minerva, we can’t stay here. It isn’t safe.” Mallory told her regretfully.  
  
Minerva knew he was right, but she needed answers as to what Blofeld did to him.  
  
“James, we can protect you, but for that, you need to trust us?”  
  
James narrowed his eyes, and looked around at each of the occupants looking for any deception in their eyes, but found none.  
  
“All right.” James agreed warily knowing it was the best option he had for the moment.  
  
Minerva gave him a small smile, “thank you.”     
  
“But, you need to help me find her.”  
  
Minerva shared a look with Mallory their eyes meeting in silent conversation.  
  
“Olivia? Mallory asked seeing James’ attention turn to him.  
  
“How do you…”  
  
“She’s my sister, James. She thought you were dead and came here to bring your body home,”  
  
James turned to look back at Minerva hardly believing It was true.  
  
“You’re McGonagall?” He asked, hoping it was true and not some trick.  
  
“Yes.”  
  
“They spoke about you, but I thought it was just another mind game.”  
  
“Who are they, James?”  
  
James was about to answer when the sound of a single gunshot filled the air causing the room to erupt into chaos.  
  
To James, it all happened in a blur as he watched the guard’s blood splatter on the wall and the dull thud of a body hitting the ground. He felt someone rush past him, as the sound of labored breathing filled the room.  
  
Shakily standing up, he looked down, seeing two pain-glazed eyes meet his own, before they finally closed.

 


	9. A Daring Rescue

* * *

James stared down at Minerva, as she applied pressure to Mallory's abdomen trying to stop the blood flow. He thought he saw a stray tear escape her eye, as she pleaded for him to wake up. The image left James with a feeling of déjà vu that he had witnessed a similar scene, not too long ago. However, before he could delve into the thought further, he felt Kingsley rush past him and kneel down next to Minerva.

"I can't stop the bleeding," Minerva whispered with a crack in her voice.

"Let me try."

Minerva moved out the way to let Kingsley take over. James felt out of place, watching as they tried to save Mallory's life when Olivia was still out there somewhere in the facility. He felt wrong for thinking such a thought, but he had to find her, and standing around doing nothing wouldn't help.

As if sensing his thoughts, Minerva turned to look up at him, all trace of tears now gone, as she fixed him with a hard stare.

"Don't even think about it, James. I have people out there searching for her."

"If she's even still alive. You didn't see her on that CCTV camera or the pain reflected in her eyes, as her body spasmed in pain."

Minerva's eyes narrowed, "was there anyone else in the room with her?"

"No, why? What's that got to do with anything?"

She didn't answer him. If there was no one else in the room with her, it wasn't the cruciatus curse, which meant something more sinister was causing her body spasms. The thought caused an uneasy feeling in the pit of her stomach.

"You don't know, do you?" James stared down at her accusingly.

"No, I don't, but we'll find out. I won't let any harm come to Olivia, James. I trust you know that?"

"Then why aren't you out there looking for her? Is he more important to you than Olivia?" James demanded.

"How dare you!" Minerva hissed, "Do you think it's easy for me? Yes, I want to help Olivia, but she would never forgive me if I left Mallory here to die!"

A low grunt caused her to look down at Mallory, seeing his pain filled eyes meet her own.

"That's the second time… I've taken a bullet for you sisters."

Minerva looked at him confused, "what do you mean?"

"Olivia, never told you?" Mallory asked breathlessly.

Minerva shook her head, "No, she didn't."

"Remind me to tell you about it sometime." Mallory gave her a weak smile.

"I'm holding you to that," Minerva said looking over at Kingsley. "How's he doing?"

"I've managed to stop the blood flow, but there is nothing more I can do for him. He needs medical attention, more than what I can give him."

Minerva looked back at the gunshot wound, knowing he wouldn't be able to get far in his current state. She had to decide on what to do and fast. There was too much at stake for her to be indecisive.

"Is he stable enough for you to apparate?"

"I would rather not risk it, Minerva."

Minerva frowned sadly, "Very well, Kingsley, follow the corridor back and take James and Gareth back to the chapel. Have Mr Weasley fetch Poppy and tell him to bring her to the chapel. Miss Granger and yourself can look after them until Poppy arrives. Then come back and find us. I'm going to help the others look for Olivia."

"No! If you're going to look for Olivia, then I'm coming with you." James told her refusing to sit back and do nothing when she or Olivia could end up killed.

"For once in your life, listen to orders, James!"

"He's right, Minerva."

She turned to look down at Gareth with a look of betrayal. She at least thought the man would be on her side given their current situation.

"You can't be serious."

"You and the others are more likely to find Olivia with his help. He already has some idea of where she's located; you just need to find the exact room he saw on the CCTV."

"He could get killed!" Minerva hissed, "I don't know how serious his injuries are, or if he will be strong enough to defend himself against Blofeld's men. I hate to say this, Gareth, but he will be a liability rather than being of any help."

"I'm more than capable of looking after myself. God knows I had to, being locked up and tortured for goodness knows how long by the very woman I'm trying to find!"

Minerva had a feeling that Blofeld would have used Zara's to impersonate Olivia to make Bond believe the woman he loved had betrayed him, but she had a feeling there was more to the story other than Zara torturing him. James would have known from the start that It wasn't Olivia, so Blofeld must have done something else to him beforehand to make him believe the facade. It just added another reason as to why he needed him to go with Kingsley. He may want to rescue her now, but she couldn't take the chance of him attacking her given his current state of mind.

"I'm doing this not only for your protection, James but Olivia's as well."

James' eyes held anger at what she was implying. "Do you honestly believe I would attack, Olivia?"

"Wouldn't you? You may want to save her James, but how do I know that when you see her, the torture that Zaras put you through won't cause you to lose control of your emotions?"

James took a step back as if she had slapped him. He would be lying if he had never thought about causing her harm earlier when she had found him. But he now knew that it wasn't his Olivia who had tortured him. It was just another game, based on lies. Lies that he had come to believe.

"I wouldn't hurt her. I may be fucked up in the head, but I would never hurt her. She's just as much as a victim here as I am. And I know deep down she holds the answers I need to help me remember."

Minerva was about to inquire further when Kingsley interrupted them.

"I hate to interrupt, but I need to take Mallory back to the chapel."

"Then help me up." Mallory hissed in pain.

Minerva looked down at him, her lips pursed into a fine line, "Don't be ridiculous. You have a gunshot wound to the abdomen for Merlin's sake!"

"I'll be fine."

"What is it with MI6 men and their need to prove their masculinity?" She muttered in annoyance.

Kingsley gave Mallory a sympathetic look and shook his head. "I'll take care of him, Minerva. You and James find Olivia. I'll come back and find you, once Poppy arrives."

Minerva reluctantly nodded, "Very well, and for Merlin's sake be careful."

"We will," Kingsley said, wrapping an arm around Mallory's shoulders holding him up as he led them from the room.

Minerva watched them with a heavy heart when she felt a hand on her shoulder.

"We need to go, Minerva," James said urgently as the gunfire seemed to be getting closer.

Minerva nodded and gripped the wand tighter in her hand. "Let's go."

James saw the gun still in the hand of one of Blofeld's men. Bending down, he picked it up and followed after Minerva.

/*\\*/*\

At the sound of the alarms blaring through the facility, Olivia felt hope flow through her that Minerva had arrived. She silently prayed that her sister would be able to find James and get him out of here. She came out of her thoughts when the door to her room burst open, and Blofeld strode in his face thunderous, as he approached her.

"It seems our little ceremony will have to be brought forward. Travers your assistance, if you please."

Olivia looked over Blofeld's shoulder to see Travers gleeful smirk as he looked down at her.

"It would be my pleasure." He waved his wand releasing Olivia's restraints.

Before Olivia could do anything, she felt a floating sensation as every thought and worry in her head was wiped gently away, leaving nothing but emptiness. She refused to allow her weakened body to give in as she tried to resist the spell's effects.

"There is no point in fighting; soon you will be mine and the life you once knew will be nothing more than a distant memory."

She closed her eyes, trying to call her magic to her. She felt her body start to tremble at the effort, but she refused to give up. Time seemed to stand still when she felt it. A small spark through the darkness. She focused on the light feeling it start to pulse, as a familiar feeling passed through her.

"Give in, Olivia. You've lost." Blofeld smirked as he watched Olivia fight his control.

Travers took a step back as he felt the energy gather in the room causing the glass bulbs to explode. He looked over at Blofeld, who seemed unfazed by what had occurred.

"So much power. We will make quite a pair."

"We would, but terrorists aren't my type."

Blofeld's smirk vanished when he saw Olivia's eyes open, and a rush of raw magic blasted him backward, causing his body to impact against the wall behind him.

Travers looked at Olivia with a trace of fear, and raised his wand, shooting a stunning spell, in her direction only for it to hit an invisible barrier.

"My turn."

Travers felt his wand slip from his fingers, just as he saw a familiar green light coming towards him. In his last moments, he felt his body impact against the glass window causing it to shatter and knew no more.

Olivia sat on the bed, breathing heavily as the nature of her actions fully sank in. She felt no remorse. After all, Travers deserved to die; she just wished he could have been brought to justice for his past deeds. There was no point dwelling on it. She couldn't change it now.

She needed to find Minerva, while she had strength. She didn't know how long she would have before her magic disappeared again.

Getting out of the bed, she held onto the bedside cabinet, waiting for the dizziness to pass, before ambling out of the room. As she entered the corridor, she looked down at the dead body of Travers. Kneeling down, she searched his pockets, finding a plastic keycard. Slowly standing up, she could hear the sound of gunfire coming to her left. Following the sound, she made her way slowly up the corridor holding onto the wall with each step. It didn't matter if the effort killed her, as long as she got to see James and Minerva one last time, it would have been worth it.

/*\\*/*\

Harry, and the others to stopped in their tracks knowing it would be only a matter of time before Blofeld's men would find them. Their arrival was no longer a secret.

"We'll be quicker if we split up. Tanner, Eve and Luna go and find those servers. We'll find Olivia."

The sound of running footsteps approaching caused them to turn as a group of guards entered the corridor.

"Go!"

Harry watched the trio go, before following after Neville, Ginny, and Fred as they raced down the corridor stunning any guards that came across their path. To Harry, it brought back unpleasant memories of his fifth year in the Department of Mysteries. He just hoped the outcome would be different this time around.

"There's too many of them!" Ginny shouted firing off another curse at one of Blofeld's henchmen.

Harry looked around for an escape route seeing the door at the other end of the corridor.

"Head through that door!"

The four of them ran towards the end of the corridor, dodging the bullets that seemed to be coming from all directions.

Neville tried to open the door only to find it locked, while the others continued to defend themselves.

"What's taking so long, Neville?" Fred asked ducking as a bullet narrowly missed him.

"It won't open! I've tried to unlock it, but it won't open!"

Ginny fired off another curse, then quickly turned her attention to the door.

"Bombarda!"

Ginny's face paled as the spell had no effect. "How is that possible?"

Harry and Fred continued to fight against their opponents when another ten came down from another corridor.

"Ginny, contact Minerva and tell her our situation. We can't stay here! Apparate to the chapel Neville, Fred, and I will cover you!"

"I'm not leaving you…!"

"Go!" Harry ordered knowing it was only a matter of time before they would be overpowered.

Ginny looked at Harry one last time before disappearing with a pop.

"Well, if this is how it ends, it's been a pleasure," Fred told them, only to come face to face with a barrel of a gun.

Fred stared at the guard with a look of hatred daring him to pull the trigger.

Time seemed to stop, as Fred waited for the end. "Looks like, I'll be seeing you soon, George." He muttered, closing his eyes.

A loud bang filled his ears, causing him to open his eyes. His eyes widened when he saw the guard fall to the floor unmoving.

He looked around to see Olivia standing in the open doorway that they had tried to get through. Before he could inquire further, he watched in stunned silence as she stunned four of the guards surrounding Harry and Neville in quick succession.

"Well, just don't stand there, gawking Mr Weasley."

Fred gave her a charming smile, as the four them fought against the remaining guards. When the last one was stunned, they looked around the corridor that was now filled with unmoving bodies.

"Well, that went better than expected. I thought we were done for." Fred told them in relief.

"Olivia?"

Fred heard the worry in Neville''s voice and looked over at the older woman seeing her leaning heavily against the wall, face ashen and covered in sweat.

"I'm fine, but we need to find James."

'Minerva, Kingsley and Mallory are looking for him." Neville told her trying to hide his worry at how weak she sounded.

"Then let's hope they find him," Olivia whispered pushing herself from the wall. She took a step forward only to feel her legs collapse from under her.

"Woah, easy," Fred told her catching her before she hit the floor. "What did Blofeld to do you?"

"I'll explain later, but first we need to find Minerva and then get out of here."

"Ginny should be at the chapel contacting her now."

"Good. Hopefully, Minerva will have found James."

Fred looked over at Harry who had yet to say anything.

"Harry, are you alright?"

"Fine, but how do we know this is, Olivia?" Harry narrowed his eyes. "Considering Zaras can change into anyone. Better yet, how did she get through that door when our magic was useless against it?"

"Harry…"

"He's right. It's best if you ask me something only Olivia would know before we go anywhere. As for the door, you need a keycard. I wouldn't be surprised if half of this facility is resistant against magic. So, your question Mr Potter?"

"Before I went to face, Voldemort, you gave me something, what was it?"

"My late father's pocket knife."

Harry gave a smile, "It's good to see you, Olivia."

"You too, Mr Potter. We can catch up later, but for now, we need to go."

Harry walked over to Olivia's other side and wrapped his arm around her waist as they made their way back along the corridor.

They were nearly at the end when they saw an all too familiar woman blocking their path, with her wand raised.

"None of you will be making It out of here alive." Emeline Zaras told them with an evil smile as more guards started to surround them.

"Now what do we do?" Neville whispered to Harry.

"You three take the guards, I'll take Zaras," Olivia ordered.

The three men looked at her as if she were crazy. "You're hardly in any fit state to stand let alone duel her."

"No, but it should buy us enough time for Minerva to find us."

"Olivia think about this for a second…"

"I have, Mr Potter. Take care of the guards; then you can help me."

Harry reluctantly nodded and stepped away from Olivia, with Fred doing the same, but hovering close should she need him.

"I think it's time we ended this, Zaras."

The younger woman gave a cold, cruel laugh, "You don't stand a chance! You can barely stand, and you think you can fight me?"

"I took care of Travers." She mocked, holding up his wand. "It was satisfying I have to admit watching the fear in his eyes as he was killed by my hand."

Zaras smile vanished, "you're lying!"

"Am I?" Olivia taunted. "There's only one way to find out! Unless you're going to run, that's what you're good at doing, isn't it? Running like the coward that you are!"

"CRUCIO!"

Olivia clumsily dodged out the way, as the curse missed her by mere inches. All around her, the room was once filled again with spells and gunfire as she tried to focus on Zaras. Her body was weakening. She knew deep down that didn't have long left.

Raising Travers wand, she cast a series of spells, which Zara's easily deflected. While Travers wand worked for her, it wasn't as powerful as her own.

"Looking for this?" Zaras smirked pulling out Olivia's wand from her cloak.

Olivia's gritted her teeth in anger, as she felt the familiar energy in her hand from earlier.

"What's the matter? Is poor Olivia too weak to call her wand?"

"Quite the opposite!" She waved her hand, watching as her wand left Zaras hand and flew into her own.

"STUPEFY!"

Zaras eyes widened as she dived out the way as the spell blasted a hole in the wall behind her. She had just got to her feet when another spell knocked her backward.

The young woman looked over at Olivia, her eyes holding a trace of fear, as she blocked spell after spell. Seeing her stumble, she took her chance and quickly fired back, before getting to her feet, and running through the hole in the wall.

Olivia followed after her determined not to let her escape for the second time. Stunning the guards that tried to apprehend her, she made her way through the hole in the wall finding herself in the room where she had located James. The sight of the dried blood on the ground only caused her anger to grow.

As she walked further into the room, she gripped her wand tighter in her hand.

"It seems I've underestimated you, Olivia. You're not as old and useless as you seem."

"No, but you're still a coward on the run."

"Coward am I? We will just have to see about that."

Olivia turned hearing footsteps approach from behind watching as Zaras walked out from the shadows, her voice no longer her own.

"I believe it's time we put an end to this once and for all."

/*\\*/*\

Ginny appeared back in the chapel as she looked around for Ron and Hermione.

"Ginny?"

"Hermione, I need you to contact Professor McGonagall and tell her the boys are in trouble."

"Do you know where they are?"

"No, all the corridors look the same. It was like we were going around in circles."

"This isn't good," Ron muttered unhelpfully.

"You think Ronald? Ginny, give me your com?"

Ginny handed it over to her, watching as Hermione tried to contact Minerva when suddenly they heard a low rumbling noise coming from the side of the chapel.

Raising their wands, the waited for whatever threat was coming their way. As the footsteps came closer, Ron and Ginny gripped their wands tighter in their hand, only relaxing when they saw the two familiar figures come into view.

"Kingsley?"

Ron and Ginny lowered their wands, at seeing Kingsley supporting Mallory, who looked ready to collapse.

"Help me get him somewhere comfortable."

Ron rushed over to Mallory's other side and helped Kingsley carry him over to one of the benches and lay him down.

"What happened?"

"He was shot while protecting Minerva. I need you to watch him while I go and get Poppy."

"Go, we'll take care of him until you get back," Ginny reassured him.

Kingsley gave them a nod and then he was gone.

"Do you think he'll make it?" Ron whispered.

"I don't know, the wound looks bad."

Ron frowned, looking over at Hermione who was chatting away with who he assumed was Professor McGonagall through the com. A few minutes passed when he saw Hermione approach them.

"Did you manage to contact her?"

"Yes, she's going to try and find them. She's found James, or rather James found her, so that's something at least."

"How is he? James, I mean?" Ginny asked looking up at Hermione.

"She didn't say," Hermione said kneeling down next to Mallory, looking over his wound.

"He's seen better days," Mallory told them gasping in pain.

"Don't try to move." Hermione softly scolded him. "Just rest. Poppy should be here soon."

"Have you heard from the others?"

"No, nothing yet. I'm sure everyone's fine." Hermione said catching Ginny's eye, warning her not to say anything.

The minutes ticked by when Kingsley returned with Poppy. The trio moved out her way, giving her room to work, hoping she would at least be able to save him.

/*\\*/*\

James waited with baited breath as Minerva spoke to someone on the other end of her com. He saw her face pale as she looked over at him, her blue eyes filled with worry. For what, he didn't know, but from the sound of her conversation, it looked like they were in more trouble than they realised.

"Well?" James asked once her conversation had ended.

"We need to find, Mr Potter and the others, it seems they've run into a spot of trouble and need our help."

"Do you know where they are?"

Minerva shook her head sadly, "No, but we need to find them and quickly."

"And how do you suppose we do that?"

"Well…" Minerva's words died in her throat when she heard what sounded like an explosion further down the corridor.

Minerva and James hurried down the corridor, following the sound of gunfire and raised voices that gradually became louder as the hallways brought them closer to where they needed to be.

James stopped trying to catch his breath, as he saw three corridors splitting off into different directions.

"Which way?"

Minerva looked at each of the corridors before pointing her wand out in front of her.

"Reperio." She whispered feeling her wand pull her to the far-right corridor. "This way."

They followed the corridor to the end, the pull of her wand seemed to be getting stronger which could only mean that Olivia was nearby. She felt her heart beating frantically against her chest as she quickened her pace seeing the end of the corridor in sight. When she reached the end, she stopped in her tracks at witnessing the chaos in front of her.

Harry, Fred, and Neville, were fighting a losing battle, with each guard they stunned another one seemed to take their place.

"Stay here until it's clear," Minerva ordered before running into the fight firing spell after spell at each of the guards.

James watched on, waiting to intervene should he need to. It seemed they were winning when one of the guards turned his gun on him ready to shoot. Raising his weapon, he pulled the trigger, watching as the bullet struck the guard in the skull.

He looked at the smoking barrel of the gun in his hands, before aiming at the other guards in front of him and pulled the trigger not caring if they lived or died. All of it felt familiar as if he had done this countless times before.

When the last guard was struck down by Minerva, she turned to look at him in annoyance. "I thought I told you to stay where you were?"

"You did, but I was never one to follow orders," James replied unfazed.

"What makes you think that?" Minerva muttered wondering if his memory was returning.

"I don't know, all of this just seemed familiar. Like I've done it countless times before."

Minerva tried to hide her disappointment at his answer. "We need to find, Olivia."

"We found her, Min, but Blofeld has done something to her."

"Explain, Mr Weasley."

"We were cornered by guards in another corridor when Harry told Ginny to return to the chapel. We were winning a losing battle when Olivia appeared. Harry thought it was Zaras, at first, but it was her. Never seen her so weak. We were trying to find James when we bumped into Zaras and the guards. Olivia decided to take on Zaras herself."

"And you let her?" Minerva's eyes flashed in anger.

"She was adamant. Besides, she seems to be doing a fine job, if the hole in the wall is anything to go by."

"What?" Minerva turned finally seeing the gaping hole that seemed to lead into a darkened room. "Olivia did this?"

"Yup. It was just a shame that stunning spell missed Zaras otherwise it would be a human-shaped hole."

"Yes, thank you for that commentary, Mr Weasley. Where is Olivia now?"

"She followed after Zaras through the hole."

"Then what are waiting for?" James asked holding the gun tighter in his hand.

"James, think about this logically…"

"There's nothing to think about! The longer we stand here, the less time Olivia has!"

"I have to agree with him, Min. Olivia was ready to collapse when she saved us. I don't know what Blofeld did, but it looked as if she was dying."

Minerva felt her heartbreak at the thought of Olivia not leaving this place alive. Especially when she just got her back.

"Are you positive?"

"I can't say for certain, but it seemed that way." Neville agreed with sadness.

James' heart beat painfully against his chest. He couldn't lose her again. Ignoring Minerva's calls for him to come back, he ran through the hole and into the room that would haunt the rest of his life.

The echoing of footsteps behind him caused him to turn to see Minerva and the others walking towards him.

"It was here."

Minerva looked around the room, feeling a chill pass through her as she saw the various torture instruments around the room.

"She would torture me for hours. I wanted it to end, but something made me cling on."

"I'm sorry for what happened to you, James, but it wasn't Olivia. She would never hurt you."

"I know, but I still see her face with each stroke of the whip, and every taunt she gave me when I refused to talk."

Minerva didn't know what to say. It made her wonder if James would ever recover from his ordeal or regain his old memories.

She was about to speak when a familiar piercing scream echoed around the room, causing her heart to stop.

"Olivia!"

Minerva ran, following the screams of her sister that lead her to a room to her left. Upon entering, she stopped in her tracks at seeing her sister standing over a convulsing body on the floor; a body that was unmistakably Olivia's.

 


End file.
